The health department is trying to find additional power sources to supply its facilities during load-shedding. 

This comes amid calls for health facilities to be exempt from load-shedding. 

In a statement on Monday, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said the department was "working on alternative, additional sources over and above the generators, which are not meant for prolonged outages, to seek additional supply of power to be considered for installation in health facilities to complement the generators as part of the energy mix".

Phaahla said he ordered the director-general, Sandile Buthelezi, to work with provincial heads of health departments to finalise the assessment of the impact of load-shedding on health facilities.

He said he was also engaging with Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan, Eskom and municipalities on what processes should be followed to exempt health facilities from load-shedding.

Last week, the Health Professions Council of South Africa called for health facilities to be exempt from load-shedding.   

Phaahla is expected to report on the impact and the intervention measures during a media briefing scheduled for Friday.