Patients at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, are now forced to bring personal generators and solar inverters to meet their power needs, following a prolonged power outage that has left the facility in darkness since October 26, 2024.
The power crisis has severely affected hospital operations, putting both patients and staff under immense pressure. Medical services have been disrupted, with life-saving equipment rendered non-functional in some units. The situation has compelled patients and their families to adopt extreme measures to ensure access to basic healthcare services.
A source at the hospital revealed that the lack of electricity has crippled several key departments, leaving patients with no option but to rely on alternative power sources for their treatments. “Many patients now bring generators to power their devices. Others who can afford it have installed solar inverters,” the source said.
The hospital management has acknowledged the ongoing crisis and attributed the blackout to unresolved issues with power suppliers. Efforts to restore electricity have reportedly been hampered by bureaucratic delays and technical challenges.
In response, concerned citizens and advocacy groups have called on the federal government and relevant authorities to intervene immediately. “This is a healthcare emergency. Patients should not be subjected to such conditions in a tertiary healthcare facility,” a human rights activist stated.
The UCH power outage highlights the larger infrastructure challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare sector. As patients continue to struggle with the absence of power, many fear that prolonged delays in restoring electricity could have dire consequences on health outcomes.
Hospital management has assured the public that efforts are ongoing to resolve the issue and restore power as soon as possible. Meanwhile, patients and their families continue to rely on personal solutions to weather the crisis.
