Electricity Cut-UCH Workers Further own Interests

Health professionals at the University College Hospital(UCH)Ibadan, Nigeria have taken advantage of the disconnection of the electricity in the hospital by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company(IBEDC) to further their self and pecuniary interests.

However, patients in the hospital have continued to lament the difficulties and hardships they are experiencing as a result of the lack of electricity supply in the hospital for over a week now.

The health professionals who own various health facilities scattered across the state capital now refer patients there.

''They are now referring us to private facilities for tests, treatment and x-ray. The costs of these facilities are very high and beyond our reach. UCH should amicably resolve the issues with IBEDC for electricity to be restored,'' the patients stated.

Meanwhile, health workers in the hospital have expressed reservations over the absence of electricity in the hospital for the past one week.

The workers spoke through the branch chairman of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals(NUAHP), Comrade Oladayo Olabampe.

''UCH is owing IBEDC about N500 million and on Tuesday last week the electricity distribution company disconnected power supply to the entire hospital. IBEDC has insisted that the hospital must pay a substantial amount of the debt before connection can be effected. Our members are going through stress and risk because of the duties they are employed for. We have decided that if electricity is not restored by Tuesday 2nd April 2024, we will reduce our working hours from 8.00 am to 4.00 pm. It would no longer be 24 hours, even though the hospital works for 24 hours, Comrade Olabampe stated.