Hospitals forced to delay surgery<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
An unexpected blackout surprised residents across the capital,
\nand indeed most of Java and Bali, on Tuesday, and made life more
\ntroublesome for several hours.<\/p>\n
It was darker than usual in the wards of Cipto Mangunkusumo
\nGeneral Hospital (RSCM) in Central Jakarta when the electricity
\nsuddenly went off in the morning.<\/p>\n
Several wards only had a couple lights on, but received a
\nlittle help from the sunlight coming through the windows.<\/p>\n
\"It is usually not that well-illuminated anyway. But today it
\nhas been practically dark in here,\" said Hamdan, a male nurse at
\nthe hospital's Ward A (IRNA-A).<\/p>\n
The electricity went off at around 10:30 a.m. in Jakarta
\nThursday, triggering massive traffic jams -- as traffic lights
\nwere also incapacitated -- and crippling the operation of train
\ncompany PT Kereta Api Indonesia throughout Greater Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The unexpected blackout on Thursday left RSCM with just
\nminimum of power, which delayed several planned surgeries and
\nkept the hospital's power maintenance crew busy as the generators
\nwere not functioning properly.<\/p>\n
\"We are putting a priority on the power from our generator to
\nthe ICU, ICCU (Intensive Care Unit and Intensive Critical Care
\nUnit), surgery wards and telephone switchboard,\" said RSCM's
\ngenerator maintenance head Rusanto.<\/p>\n
\"However, I suggested that surgeries be delayed. But the ones
\nongoing were able to proceed.\"<\/p>\n
Rusanto explained that his office had only been able to supply
\nlimited power since one of its two generators was not working.
\n\"The one that was working was running at a high temperature. I am
\nafraid that it will overheat,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Contacted at 4 p.m. the same day, the electricity had returned
\nto normal at the hospital as state electricity company PLN
\nmanaged to get some power back on in different areas.<\/p>\n
At Sumber Waras hospital in West Jakarta, the blackout was not
\na major concern since their generator was not having any
\nproblems.<\/p>\n
Part of the hospital's administration offices lost power at
\n10:30 a.m. when the building management shut off some lights and
\nits air conditioning to prioritize the needs of patients.<\/p>\n
\"We have provided enough electricity in our hospital and our
\npatients should have no problem,\" said Mila, a hospital employee.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, several property management companies that own
\nbusiness office blocks also had to cut power usage, causing a
\nless comfortable temperature in some public places and longer
\nlines in front of the elevators at lunch time.<\/p>\n
\"We turned off one elevator and an air conditioner. The
\ntemperature in the lobby was also set higher to use the power
\nfrom our generators efficiently,\" said Sunaryo, an electrician
\nfrom the Sona Topas tower on Jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Similar conditions were also found at the Jakarta Stock
\nExchange building. Since an elevator from each zone was turned
\noff, traders and staff had to wait in longer lines to get up and
\ndown in the building.<\/p>\n
Smaller office buildings without backup generators were forced
\nto stop work. Many office workers were seen killing time outside
\ntheir offices, while lots of doors and windows were open.
\n(003\/004)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hospitals-forced-to-delay-surgery-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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