Two babies die at Arua hospital during power outages-Director

Arua, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  At least two children die at Arua Regional Referral Hospital during every power outage, the Hospital Director Dr. Philbert Nyeko has revealed.   

He reveals that two children die in the neonatal ward each time there is a power outage.   

West Nile Rural Electrification Company-Wenreco, which supplies power to the region has been experiencing intermittent power outages because of the breakdown in one of the turbines at its dams. 

Dr. Nyeko says the outages make it difficult for them to run medical equipment. He says there is urgent need to fix the power problem since the hospital lacks funds to run and maintain a stand-by generator.

Engineer Alfred Ambayo, the in charge Wenreco in West Nile, says there is no deliberate effort to affect the operations of government facilities. 

He blames the problem on the collapse of poles due to heavy rains and excessive power demand during peak hours. 

According to Eng. Ambayo, the demand for power during peak hours has increased to 4.5MW yet they only generate 3.5MW hence the load shading. 

Similarly, power outage in the region has frustrated police efforts to fight crime as they affect the operations of the newly installed security CCTV Cameras, which depend on grid power. 

Dennis Ochama, the Arua District Police Commander explains that the power outages tend to increase criminality in the towns as the wrong elements take advantage of it to commit crimes.

In order to address the increasing power needs in West Nile, government tasked Electromax Thermal Power company to increase power generation in West Nile by adding 6.5 MWs. 

However, the company out of fuel mid last year to run the four generators after the tax body reportedly froze their bank accounts over accumulated tax arrears.

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