The University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, Oyo State, has been plunged into darkness for over two weeks due to its inability to pay an N80 million monthly electricity bill. The hospital, which is under the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company’s “band A” tariff structure, has faced significant disruptions in its services due to the power outage.
The extended blackout has severely impacted critical medical services, including surgeries, diagnostic tests, and other essential healthcare procedures, as medical staff struggle to operate without electricity.
On November 11, patients and their families gathered at the hospital to stage a protest, demanding an end to the ongoing power crisis. The protestors voiced their frustration over the 17-day blackout, as well as the additional challenge of water shortages at the facility.
One of the protestors, speaking on behalf of others, decried the situation, saying, “People are dying here. The managers are thieves. We need light.” The demonstrators called on hospital authorities and the state government to take immediate action to restore electricity and improve conditions at the facility.
UCH, one of the leading medical institutions in the region, has become a focal point of public outrage as the power crisis continues to put lives at risk. Efforts to reach hospital management for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
