The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) says it disconnected University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan from the national grid over an outstanding N400 million debt.

On Monday, patients at the UCH staged a protest following incessant power cuts at the facility. Nurses and doctors have been using lights from their smartphones to find their way around.

The demonstrators said there has been no water and electricity at the hospital in the last 17 days. The protesters expressed concern that the lack of essential services has contributed to patient deaths.

One member of staff blamed IBEDC for placing the hospital on the Band A tariff — the most expensive electricity band in the country.

In February, IBEDC cut off UCH’s power over “technical faults and indebtedness”.

At the time, the company said the hospital owed about N500m in electricity bills.

According to Punch, Busolami Tunwase, the electricity company’s spokesperson, confirmed that the disconnection was due to an outstanding debt of N400m, adding that the university has not fulfilled its promise to pay up.

She said while the company sympathises with the hospital, IBEDC was compelled to take drastic action because it is being pressured to meet financial obligations to stakeholders.

“However, IBEDC reiterated its commitment to working with UCH and remains open to discussions on a flexible payment arrangement that could be mutually agreed upon by both parties,” she said.

In a statement on Wednesday, Funmi Adetuyibi, UCH spokesperson, said the hospital’s management has held several meetings with IBEDC on payment modalities.

The spokesperson said the electricity bills from IBEDC, inclusive of accumulated bills since 2019 to date, amounted to N3,104,568,114.61.

She added that the hospital has so far paid N2,916,567, 724.27.

“In a bid to mitigate the effects of this hardship, the management has taken some steps, which include dissemination of information to patients and alternative power sources,” the statement reads.

“We have back-up generators to power critical areas, including the Emergency department, operating theatres, Intensive Care Unit, Laboratories, among others.

“Solar/inverter panel has been made available in the Emergency Department, Main Theatre, Intensive Care Unit, Paediatrics, East 3 Ward, South East 3, Owena Dialysis Ward, High Dependency Unit, South West 2 and all the clinics.”