This intervention follows a SaharaReporters exposé on the prolonged power outage that has plagued the hospital since last year.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has assured that electricity supply will be restored to clinical areas of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, within the next 24 to 48 hours.

This intervention follows a SaharaReporters exposé on the prolonged power outage that has plagued the hospital since last year.

Adelabu, alongside the Managing Director of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), Engr. Francis Agoha, visited the hospital’s management at its boardroom on Monday to discuss solutions to the power crisis.

During the meeting, the minister confirmed that while UCH’s clinical sections will soon regain power, the College of Medicine and commercial entities within the hospital will need to independently engage IBEDC for reconnection.

He also disclosed that UCH has agreed to settle its N283 million electricity debt in instalments over the next nine to twelve months, while keeping up with current bill payments.

According to Adelabu, the Federal Government is working on building a 50 MGW mini grid through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) project for phase 2 scheduled for 3rd quarter or 4th quarter of 2025 for the University of Ibadan and the UCH.

Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, in his speech, expressed his profound gratitude for the Minister's intervention and commended the management of IBEDC for exhibiting a high level of cooperation and collaboration in resolving the lingering power outages within the hospital.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported that patients at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, have endured severe discomfort and risk to their health due to a prolonged power outage that has persisted for four months.

The blackout follows the disconnection of the hospital from the national grid by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) over an outstanding debt of N495million.

UCH, a major referral centre in Oyo State and southwestern Nigeria, has struggled to provide essential medical services without a stable power supply.

When SaharaReporters visited the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Friday, relatives of critically ill patients were seen sitting outside the premises, using handheld fans to provide relief from the sweltering heat.

Patients who could afford rechargeable fans had brought them for personal use, but the hospital wards remained in darkness.

The prolonged lack of electricity has raised serious concerns about the safety of patients, particularly those in critical care units who rely on life-saving medical equipment that requires constant power.

A relative of a patient admitted to the ICU, who identified himself simply as Kozeem, told SaharaReporters that the situation had worsened over the past three months.

He explained that since Thursday, when the generator supplying electricity to the ICU broke down, there had been no power supply, not even for a minute.

Kozeem accused the UCH management and the federal government of neglecting the plight of critically ill patients, particularly those who rely on medical equipment that requires electricity to function.

"Patients have been battling with two things since last year—first, trying to recover from their ailments, and second, struggling with the electricity crisis," he said.

He added that the power outage issue began two years ago when patients were asked to contribute money to fuel the hospital’s generators.

However, an Ibadan businessman who owns Ace Supermarket donated a large power plant generator to the hospital and has since been providing fuel for it.

Kozeem further explained that patients' relatives have resorted to bringing rechargeable and solar-powered fans.

The hospital management only turns on the generator when an operation is scheduled in the theatre or during medical emergencies.

He also revealed that, due to the persistent blackout, UCH has had to refer some patients to other hospitals for treatment.

SaharaReporters' correspondent visited the hospital premises. However, some wards, such as the Emergency Unit, the Children's Outpatient Clinic, and the Medical Outpatient Clinic, were powered by solar energy.

At the surgery clinic, the place was in total darkness, with no electricity supply. Some people were seen using handheld fans to cool themselves, while others were sweating due to the heat.

A man, who refused to speak on record, told SaharaReporters that electricity was not the only problem at the UCH. He said that some of their medical equipment was not functioning.

"Sometimes, patients are referred outside to conduct tests or obtain results for simple blood samples, depending on their diagnosis," he explained.

"If you go to the blood bank unit, you will see that there is no electricity. Although they have solar power, many times, we are still referred outside to get test results from the samples they collect."

He stated that things had never been this bad before and blamed the federal government for being indifferent to the plight of the people while they had the means to fly their families abroad for the slightest health issue.

Another person, who had just returned from charging his rechargeable fan and wished to remain anonymous, told SaharaReporters that his father had been hospitalised since last year, and they had been struggling with the electricity situation ever since.

He acknowledged that UCH provides some of the best medical treatment in the country, emphasising that the doctors and nurses are highly dedicated to patient care. However, he described the electricity situation as a major challenge for the hospital.

He revealed that his family had written a request to bring their inverter to the ICU ward, where his father was admitted, and the hospital management had granted their request.

The source said, "They usually power the generator in the morning for about four hours, and if there is an emergency in the theatre, they turn it on. There is a spot downstairs where we charge our gadgets, but they charge N100 per hour.

"They are not doing enough in terms of electricity. Sometimes, they don't even turn on the generator except in wards with solar power, and most of the wards with solar energy only have electricity at night."

He also mentioned that his family is not trying to leave the inverter behind for the hospital's use after his father is discharged as speculated by the management. 

Follow the Sahara Reporters channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaFClvtH5JM6SSsP7M2Y