After sixteen days of disconnection by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) due to owing N495 million, power has finally been restored to the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Electricity was restored around 6.30 pm on Thursday, following the disconnection on March 19, which was the third time in less than two months over accumulated bill indebtedness.
IBEDC disconnected the facility after failed attempts to engage with the hospital’s management regarding the long-standing debt.
However, upon restoration, various departments within the hospital, including Family Medicine, Emergency, Nursing, Engineering, and Pharmacology, among others, regained power supply.
A source within the hospital confirmed that UCH had paid N80 million of the N495 million debt and signed a memorandum of understanding with IBEDC on how to repay the outstanding amount.
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The hospital management, feeling the embarrassment caused by the disconnection, took steps to resolve the issue, especially considering the challenges faced by workers and patients during the outage.
During the period without electricity, the hospital had experienced a reduction in patient admissions, with many patients discharged due to the power outage. Surgical procedures and tests were also conducted outside the facility due to the lack of electricity.
Earlier, the Joint Action Committee, representing all unions in the hospital, had announced a limited working schedule due to the power outage.
However, with electricity restored, the committee chairman confirmed that normal working hours would resume from Friday onwards.
The restoration of electricity brings relief to both hospital staff and patients, ensuring that essential medical services can be provided without interruption.
