Families of patients are currently staging a protest at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, expressing frustration over the ongoing power outage that has left the facility without electricity for several days.
The lack of power has disrupted essential hospital operations, including delaying critical test results and impacting patient care, which has added to the families’ distress.
According to the Public Relations Officer of UCH, the power issue stems from a disconnection by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC). The PRO explained that UCH falls within “Band A” under the electricity tariff structure, a high-cost bracket intended for facilities with a higher energy consumption priority.
However, this designation has placed a significant financial burden on the hospital, making it difficult to keep up with the high costs of electricity at the required full capacity.
Efforts to manage the power needs through alternative sources, such as operating backup generators, have proven unsustainable due to the enormous costs involved in powering the entire hospital continuously. Running generators for extended periods incurs significant expenses in fuel and maintenance, which the hospital has struggled to cover amid other budgetary constraints.
