Back-up helps beat power shortage in hospitals

The power shortage in south Mumbai and up to the eastern suburbs of Sion and Matunga affected the hospitals in the area too. However, the situation did not lead to any major breakdown.

The hospitals, run by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), had uninterrupted power supply (UPS) mechanisms in place. There was power cut at Sion Hospital for twenty minutes between 10am and 10.20 am, but it did not effect the emergency care or surgery units as the hospital had a back up in place.

"Every Operation Theatre (OT), anaesthesia machine and ventilators have two power outlets. When power supply from one outlet snaps, the supply automatically shifts to the other within a split of the second," explained Dr Avinash Supe, dean, Sion Hospital. "However, there was a cut in the wards and the medical college building. But no patient was affected and no mishap reported," he added.

Also, there was power cut in Tata Memorial Hospital in Parel, which was restored within half an hour.

A spokesperson of the hospital said, "There was power cut for around fifteen minutes in the morning, but the quick switch to the generator made sure that the functioning of the hospital was not hampered."

However, civic-run KEM and Wadia hospitals at Parel and Nair hospital in Mumbai Central did not face any power cuts.

Jaslok Hospital, a private concern at Peddar Road in South Mumbai, was fortified for a 12-hour power cut and had two generators in place which can run for six hours each.