UCH Ibadan facing electricity crisis over ₦400m debt, patients protest

The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, is facing a crisis after the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) disconnected it from the national power grid due to an outstanding debt of ₦400 million.

The power cut has led to severe disruptions, with hospital staff and patients staging protests over what they say are life-threatening conditions.

Patients at UCH protested on Monday, expressing outrage over consistent power outages and water shortages that have persisted for over 17 days.

Many medical staff have resorted to using their smartphone lights to navigate in the darkened hospital, which has created significant challenges for healthcare delivery. Protesters alleged that these conditions are contributing to patient fatalities.

Some hospital staff blame IBEDC’s decision to place UCH on the country’s highest tariff, Band A, for compounding the hospital’s debt burden. This is not the first time UCH has been cut off over unpaid electricity bills; in February, IBEDC disconnected the hospital, citing “technical faults and indebtedness,” with the outstanding debt at the time reported to be around ₦500 million.

IBEDC spokesperson Busolami Tunwase confirmed the recent disconnection to Punch, stating that the hospital has not fulfilled its agreement to clear outstanding debts. She noted that while IBEDC sympathizes with UCH, the electricity company is under pressure to meet its own financial obligations to stakeholders.

Despite the disconnection, IBEDC has expressed willingness to discuss a flexible payment plan with UCH to resolve the situation.

In response, UCH spokesperson Funmi Adetuyibi disclosed via a statement that the hospital’s cumulative electricity bills since 2019 have reached N3.1 billion, with N2.9 billion already paid.

To mitigate the power crisis, UCH has deployed backup generators to supply electricity to critical areas like the Emergency Department, operating theatres, Intensive Care Unit, and laboratories. Solar and inverter systems have also been installed in key wards to provide limited power support during the outage.

“In a bid to mitigate the effects of this hardship, the management has taken some steps, which include dissemination of information to patients and alternative power sources,” the statement reads.

“We have backup generators to power critical areas, including the Emergency department, operating theatres, Intensive Care Unit, and Laboratories, among others.

“Solar/inverter panel has been made available in the Emergency Department, Main Theatre, Intensive Care Unit, Paediatrics, East 3 Ward, South East 3, Owena Dialysis Ward, High Dependency Unit, South West 2 and all the clinics.”

Despite these temporary measures, patients and hospital staff have expressed concerns over the strain on services and the critical need for uninterrupted electricity in the healthcare facility.