Government working on restoration of power supply to UCH – CMAC

By Fasilat Lawal

The Chairman of, the Medical Advisory Committee, CMAC, University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, Dr Abiodun Adeoye says the Federal Ministry of Health has commenced the process that will lead to the restoration of power supply to the hospital.

Dr Adeoye stated this while speaking with Radio Nigeria on efforts being made by the tertiary health institution to reconnect power, which was earlier disconnected from the national grid.

The Medical Advisory Committee Chairman explained that the Federal Ministry of Health had communicated with the Federal Ministry of Power to ensure that electricity was restored to the University College Hospital.

“The bone of contention here is not about the current bill, it is about the old bill.  As it is, this year alone IBEDC sent a bill of 147 million nairas to the hospital and the management was able to pay 145 million nairas, they still went ahead to disconnect us being the third time this year because of the outstanding debt.”

Dr Abiodun explained that the disconnection of the power supply in UCH from the national grid was a sequel to outstanding debts inherited by the present leadership of the hospital and the accumulation of monthly high tariffs.

The CMAC explained that the Management had been at the forefront of the monthly payment of hospital electricity bills alongside the old bills.

He appealed to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, to look into the monthly tariff of the Teaching Hospital which is a known world-class healthcare provider for all categories of the public.

“Each time IBEDC comes here and threatens us to disconnect, and we don’t want our patients to suffer. The management has now constituted an Energy Committee to look into the short run, mid-term and long run Energy issues, led by the chairman, Dr Obaro Michael”

Speaking further, Dr Abiodun, who is also the Director of Clinical Services, Research and Training, noted that the management of UCH had put in place an alternative power supply in some units and critical areas of the Health facility, adding that power supply is being extended to all Patients’ Wards for optimal health services.

Meanwhile, a relative of a patient, who pleaded anonymity, explained that the power outage had led to the avoidable death of his brother due to deteriorated health occasioned by the power disconnection.

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