 Ibadan, organized under the platform of the Council of UCH Union Leaders (CUUL), have declared a five-day){kind=link}
Workers at University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, organized under the platform of the Council of UCH Union Leaders (CUUL), have declared a five-day warning strike over persistent power outages at the hospital.
The decision was announced in a statement signed by Co-Chairman of CUUL and Chairman of JAC UCH, Oladayo Olabampe, and Co-Chairman of CUUL and Chairman of ARD-UCH, Dr Uthman Adedeji.
The strike began on Monday, with the workers lamenting that the tertiary hospital has been without electricity for 102 days.
In the statement released Tuesday, the health workers noted that the blackout resulted from disconnection by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).
They added that although IBEDC has restored power to UCH, electricity to service delivery areas and residential quarters is being internally rationed and restricted by hospital management.
The workers criticized the deliberate withholding of power, saying it has crippled service delivery, endangered patients, and exposed staff to hazards. They emphasized that the strike is not for personal gain but to protect public safety.
They called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Power, and the Federal Government of Nigeria to urgently intervene.
“For 102 days between November 3rd, 2024, and February 12th, 2025, the University College Hospital (UCH) was plunged into total darkness due to disconnection by Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company IBEDC. Following nationwide concern and intervention by the Minister of Power, electricity supply was restored through resolution with IBEDC.
“Today, we regret to inform Nigerians that although power has been restored to UCH by IBEDC, electricity supplied to service delivery areas and the residential quarters is being internally rationed and restricted by Management. This deliberate withholding of power has crippled efficient service delivery, endangered patients, exposed staff to hazards, and undermined the integrity of one of Nigeria’s foremost tertiary hospitals.
“Patients who should receive care are being turned away. Procedures are referred elsewhere. Lives hang in the balance. A teaching hospital in 2026 is being forced to operate like a facility from a bygone era. A huge chunk of cases and procedures presented to UCH are now rejected or referred due to inadequate internal power distribution.
“The hospital is losing millions of naira daily in internally generated revenue. Ironically, a cost-cutting measure has become a revenue-destroying policy. If this continues, the financial survival of UCH is at serious risk.
“This five-day warning strike has become inevitable. It is not about personal gain. It is about patient safety, institutional survival, and professional dignity. This call for help is devoid of any political coloring or affiliations.
“We call on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Power, and the Federal Government of Nigeria to urgently intervene and prevent further deterioration. We appeal to well-meaning Nigerians to stand with us. A nation cannot strengthen its healthcare system while its premier institutions operate in darkness.”