The University College Hospital disclosed that it has an outstanding debt of N495m being owed to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, which has led to its disconnection from the state power supply.

The Doctor’s and other staffs refused to work at night except power is being  restored back.

From the news gathered, Mrs. Funmilayo Adetuyibi, the UCH Public Relations Officer, said the hospital Electricity bills was over over N400m, contrary to her initial claim.

On March 19, the UCH were disconnected by the IBEDC, making it the third time in less than two months.

But the UCH spokesperson had denied owing N495m, saying the current UCH administration, led by Prof. Jesse Otegbayo, resume office on March 1, 2019, and inherited over N27m as of February 27, 2019.

Adetuyibi said that it had since ensured the monthly payment of bills brought by IBEDC.

On Tuesday, when Adetuyibi was saying that Busolami Tunwase the IBEDC spokesperson, had insisted that the debt was N495m, she admitted that there was an error while writing her initial rejoinder.

Adetuyibi said the hospital needs help to settle the debt, adding that it was soliciting for funds.

“The truth of the matter is that we are owing IBEDC and we need help. Help is the main thing. We are soliciting for funds; help is what we need.

“The amount is N495m; leave it at N495m. There was an error while we were sending the rejoinder, which I rectified and sent the corrected version. So, let’s leave all these and let’s look for help.

“That’s what we actually need. It’s the help that we need,” she said in a phone conversation.

Meanwhile, the hospital staff’s have agreed on working from 8.00am to 4.00pm every day until power is restored.

The workers also decided to go on a seven-day strike if the hospital Electricity was not reconnected before Tuesday, April 9.

From the news gathered, Oludayo Olabampe, the Joint Action Committee Chairman, noted that this would affect patients on admission, as no one would be available to attend to them in the evening.

Olabampe stressed that those on admission would need to be discharged, and there would be no new admissions for now.

“From today (Tuesday), we will be ending our services by 4.00pm. Our services will be only between 8.00am and 4.00pm; no call duties, no shift duties, and no 24-hour services until when power is restored. From downscaling, we will go on a seven-day warning strike after a 14-day ultimatum that started counting on March 27.

“This will affect patients on admission because the nurses that attend to patients in the ward will close by 4.00pm. Imagine leaving the patients to be on their own from 4.00pm till 8.00 am. So, there won’t be further admission and those on admission now will have to be discharged. Also know that from 4 pm upward, if there are patients in the theatre for surgery and there is the need for blood, if you get to the blood bank, nobody will attend to you after 4 pm.

“If you need one test or the other, you won’t meet anybody in the laboratory. Radiographers will not be available, and even the dietitians who will be in charge of their meals will not be there for dinner. By now, I expect that whoever is having children in the incubator has tried to transfer them to where there is a better power supply,” he said.

Olabampe joined the hospital in seeking help to offset the N495m bill, saying “UCH does not have the money to pay the debt”.