After 109 days of darkness in the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, over non-payment of N495 million electricity bills, PUNCH Healthwise investigation reveals how the power outage led to avoidable deaths of patients as doctors used torchlights and flashlights on their phones to provide care. SODIQ OJUROUNGBE reports
on a chilly December evening, 2024, a family of four was rushed to the Accident and Emergency unit of UCH, Ibadan, Oyo State, gasping for air. The cause of their distress was a gas explosion that rocked their home.
But as the medical team battled to save their lives, they were confronted with a harsh reality – the hospital was without an electricity supply.
The automatic ventilator system, a lifeline for patients struggling to breathe, lay dormant, its digital screens dark and unresponsive. The medical team was forced to resort to a manual ventilator, a primitive device that required someone to press a bag, known as an Ambu bag (a hand-held device that delivers positive pressure ventilation to patients who aren’t breathing well), to push air into the lungs of the patients.
It was a laborious and exhausting process, one that required a team of three medical students to take turns pressing the bag for 30 minutes each.
One of them saddled with the responsibility of pressing the hand-held device told PUNCH Healthwise that the lack of power supply which forced them to use the manual ventilator led to the deaths of two out of the four victims of the gas explosion brought to UCH.
The medical student who was at the A&E unit when two of the family members died around 2 am the next day, argued that they could have survived if the hospital had power.
He explained that the automatic ventilator system, with its precise and consistent air delivery, might have made all the difference.
He recalled, “I was one of the students pressing the Ambu bag. We worked in shifts, trying to keep the patients alive. But it was clear that we were fighting a losing battle. The manual ventilator just wasn’t enough.
“It was heart-breaking. We did everything we could, but it just wasn’t enough. I keep thinking about what could have been if only we had power.”
Another avoidable death
Thursday, January 23, 2025, was a day that would be etched in the memories of those who witnessed the tragic event that unfolded at the Radiology Department of UCH.
It was a day that began like any other, with patients and their families gathered in the waiting area, anxiously awaiting their turn to undergo various medical tests.
The atmosphere was reportedly tense, with patients waiting in large numbers in the crowded area to be called in.
The CT scan, a vital piece of equipment, had been faulty for hours, causing delays and disruptions to the scheduled tests.
According to one of the doctors on duty that day who simply identified as Tony, the power generator which was the only source of electricity had damaged the CT scan a day before.
Tony recalled to our correspondent how a blood-curdling scream from a woman who had been sitting patiently with her mother, caught the attention of everybody.
He recounted the heart-breaking scene, describing how the woman’s mother, an elderly lady confined to a wheelchair, had been scheduled for a CT scan at 8 am that morning.
Despite her fragile condition, Tony said the elderly woman was forced to wait for hours, unable to receive the medical attention she desperately needed due to the faulty scanner and power generator.
Tragically, she succumbed to her condition while waiting for her turn, her life slipping away in the very place where she had sought help.
“At around 11 am thereabout, we heard a cry from behind us. It was a woman who was trying to wake up her wheelchair-laden mother scheduled for the CT scan that morning by 8 am.
“The woman had been scheduled far before then for the scan but electricity and the machine being faulty caused her to be rescheduled again and again.
“The woman had died on the wheelchair that morning, waiting for the scanner to be fixed, for light to be restored. It’s saddening that she died waiting to be able to run a test for her treatment.
“The scanner has not been fixed till now (February 11). I wonder how many more people will have to die waiting for it to be fixed,” the doctor lamented.
Avoidable deaths, medical errors, and rejection of patients were common practices at the UCH for more than 100 days when the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company disconnected the hospital from the national grid over a debt of about N495 million.
PUNCH Healthwise gathered that for 109 days, the hospital was forced to operate in darkness, and relied on generators and manual devices to keep patients alive.
During this blackout, it was learnt that the hospital’s power supply relied solely on backup generators, inverters, rechargeable lamps, and solar-powered fans. These were either provided by the hospital’s management or, in some cases, by patients or their families in desperate need of care.
Beyond the pains endured by the patients, it was also observed that the blackout also took a toll on the medical staff, who worked under immense pressure to save lives without modern medical equipment.
How we treated patients with torchlights, other alternatives
Some of the doctors who spoke with PUNCH Healthwise said besides the stress of battling with manual equipment, they also had to use torchlights and phone lights to treat patients to reduce fatality.
For weeks, they said they were forced to rely on torchlights, rechargeable lamps, and even the faint glow of mobile phones to care for their patients.
Although the doctors had to reschedule major procedures to avoid risking the lives of the patients because of the power outage, our correspondent gathered that there were instances when they were forced to use torchlights to perform simple surgeries to save patients’ lives.
A senior physician at UCH identified as Dr.Adebayo recounted the difficulties of performing even the simplest procedures in near darkness.
“It was surreal. We had to use torchlights to check vital signs and administer injections. There was no time to waste, and we had to make do with what we had.
“The earlier days were the worst because even the hospital management didn’t know how to handle the situation. Recently, they provided solar bulbs for the corridors of almost all the wards, but that doesn’t mean the necessary medical equipment is functional.
“Without electricity, there’s always a risk of making medical errors. How can you expect someone to treat a patient using a torchlight and not make mistakes? While some errors may be minimal, there are certainly things we could have avoided if we had proper power,” he explained.
Another doctor on duty at the A&E explained, “When the lights went out, we couldn’t properly assess the patients. There was no lighting to conduct physical exams and no way to ensure everything was done safely. We had to rely on torchlight to guide us through each case, and that’s not acceptable for an institution like ours.”
“I remember one night in the emergency room when the power went out again. We had patients in critical condition, and there was no power to monitor their heart rates or oxygen levels. We had to use our phone flashlights, and the rest of us worked in shifts, holding the lights while others treated the patients,” explained Nkechi, a final-year medical student.
UCH power crisis
On October 26, 2024, the IBEDC disconnected UCH from the national grid over an outstanding debt of N495 million.
The spokesperson of IBEDC, Busolami Tunwase told one of our correspondents that the disconnection became unavoidable following the failure of UCH to pay the debt.
While saying the company expressed sympathy for the hospital’s situation, she confirmed that the disconnection was due to UCH’s significant outstanding debt.
Tunwase said the company was compelled to take the action because it was faced with increased pressure to meet its financial obligations.
“IBEDC was compelled to take this course of action as we are faced with increasing pressure to meet our financial obligations to the market”, she said.
Also speaking about the issue in November 2024, the Chairman of the Joint Health Sector Unions at the UCH, Oladayo Olabampe, disclosed that the hospital was spending about N80 million monthly on electricity bills despite its worsening financial situation.
According to him, the hospital’s inability to sustain the payment led to the disconnection of supply from the facility by the electricity distribution company on October 26.
Our correspondent observed that electricity was briefly restored to the hospital for 10 days starting November 17, 2024, but the power was cut off again on November 27, 2024.
The power was restored on February 12, 2025, after Minister for Power, Adebayo Adelabu, intervened and helped resolve the issue between the hospital and IBEDC.
Before the prolonged 109-day disconnection of UCH from the national grid, IBEDC had disconnected the tertiary institution on March 19, 2024, the third time in less than two months, over “accumulated bill indebtedness.”
While giving reasons for the disconnection in March, the Ibadan DisCo explained that it disconnected the hospital after failed attempts to engage with the facility’s management regarding the N495m debt, which had persisted for over six years.
Though the hospital earlier denied owing up to that amount, it later agreed and sought time to clear the debt.
During his visit, the minister explained that the energy bill for UCH was high because the hospital was paying for the power consumption of other entities within the premises.
He listed these entities to include the college of medicine, banks, business centres, dry cleaners, and pharmacies, which were allegedly not paying for their power consumption.
He assured that the government would ensure that these entities were held responsible for their power consumption and paid their energy bills separately.
Before power restoration
On February 10 and 11, 2025, just a day before the long-awaited restoration of power, our correspondent visited UCH and witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of the prolonged blackout.
Moving around the hospital at night, it was observed that the once bustling medical facility had transformed into a ghostly structure, bathed in near-complete darkness.
PUNCH Healthwise discovered that the usual hum of medical equipment and the constant bustle of nurses, doctors, and patients were replaced with an eerie silence, interrupted only by the occasional murmur of staff trying to navigate their way in the dark.
The corridors were dimly lit by a handful of solar-powered bulbs scattered in certain wards. But these were few and far between.
For the most part, the hallways remained shrouded in darkness, adding an unnerving sense of urgency to the already tense atmosphere.
In the wards, patients lay in their beds, some hooked up to life-saving machines, but these machines were rendered useless without the power to run them. The soft, flickering light from rechargeable lamps offered little comfort, struggling to stay on in an environment where power was more a luxury than a guarantee. Patients in the emergency room, many in severe pain or requiring urgent care, were also enduring significant discomfort due to the lack of electricity. The A&E wards were overcrowded, and without proper lighting, there was no way to ensure adequate ventilation.
Our correspondent observed that the only light came from solar-powered bulbs, but there was no power to run fans or air conditioning. As a result, the temperature in the ward was unbearable, with everyone visibly sweating.
Some patients’ relatives were seen using hand fans or rechargeable fans in a desperate attempt to alleviate the heat.
Despite the restoration of power in UCH, the story shared by many doctors and medical students who spoke with our correspondent paints a picture of the challenges they endured during the prolonged blackout.
Even though the power was eventually restored on February 12, 2025, after the intervention of the Minister for Power, many hospital staff members are still struggling with the emotional and psychological toll of working under such harsh circumstances.
Other horrible experiences
A breast cancer patient at the UCH reportedly lost her life due to complications arising from the hospital’s blackout.
PUNCH Healthwise gathered that the patient, who was in dire need of a chest tube insertion, could not receive the necessary medical attention due to the lack of electricity.
According to a medical student who was on call at the time, the patient was admitted with breast cancer complicated by pulmonary edema.
“We were called to attend to the patient, but we were unable to insert the chest tube due to the lack of electricity.
“The family was asked to provide a lamp, which they did, but it was not enough to facilitate the procedure,” the student said.
She added, “As the night progressed, the patient’s condition started to deteriorate. I could feel the weight of the situation as we worked frantically in the dark, trying to stabilise her. I had no idea how long we could continue like this, and deep down, I feared the worst. By the time the HO called the medical team on-call, they had no choice but to escalate the situation to the senior registrar.
“The SR, after assessing the situation, told us that passing the chest tube (an essential procedure for draining the fluid from her lungs) was simply too risky in the dark. He explained that he’d tried something similar in the past and the patient hadn’t made it, and he wasn’t willing to take that risk again without proper lighting.
“It was a difficult decision, and even though I understood the reasoning, I couldn’t shake the feeling of helplessness.
“The SR said he would come in first thing in the morning, by 7 AM, to perform the procedure. We all hoped that the patient would make it through the night, but I knew we couldn’t wait that long. The HO advised us to stay close by, hoping the patient would hold on until morning.
“The next morning, when we arrived, the worst news awaited us. By the time the SR had arrived to perform the chest tube procedure, the patient had passed away. She had died sometime during the night, alone in a hospital room, under conditions that no patient should have to endure.”
The medical student explained that the hospital’s solar power system was not functioning, and the backup generators were not available.
“We had to use phone torchlights to administer medication and monitor the patient’s condition, the student said. “It was a very challenging situation, and we were all frustrated by the lack of resources.”
The medical student expressed concern about the impact of the blackout on the quality of care provided by the hospital.
“We are doing our best to provide care to our patients, but it is becoming increasingly difficult. We need a reliable source of electricity to be able to do our jobs effectively.”
Another student identified as Julius Olaniyi narrated how the lack of electricity at UCH almost claimed the life of a gastroenteritis patient.
Olaniyi, who witnessed the incident, said the patient’s family had been transferred from one hospital to another before arriving at UCH, only to be told that there was no electricity in the A&E unit.
According to him, the patient, a young woman, was lying by the roadside near the hospital’s main gate, vomiting greenish substances and unable to talk properly.
The medical student said he was returning from UCH when he stumbled upon the patient and her family.
“I was returning from UCH when I saw the patient lying by the roadside. There were some women around her, but they left when they realised I was a medical student. The patient was vomiting greenish substances and was unable to talk properly. She told me that they had been transferred from one hospital to another before arriving at UCH, only to be told that there was no electricity in the Accident and Emergency unit.
“I had to call my father to get the contact of a private hospital where the patient could receive treatment.
“I was able to get the patient to the hospital, and she eventually survived. But I knew that if I hadn’t intervened, the patient might not have made it,” he noted.
Despite restoration, medical students continue to groan
One of the most affected areas by the prolonged blackout at UCH was the Alexander Brown Hall and Ayodele Falase Post-Graduate Hall, the hostels occupied by medical students of the University of Ibadan, whose campus is located within the hospital’s premises.
Even though power was restored to the hospital on February 12, 2024, the hostels where these medical students reside continue to remain in darkness.
This ongoing power issue has left many students frustrated and struggling to carry out their daily activities, despite the hospital’s efforts to return to normalcy.
Some of the students, who spoke exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise, shared their frustration and narrated the terrible experiences they went through because of lack of electricity within the hostel.
They expressed frustration about the impact of the blackout on their education.
A 400-level medical student, Gerald Olukungi said the situation has taken a dire toll on the students, who have been forced to adapt to a new normal of hardship and resilience.
Olukungi explained that the lack of electricity has affected every aspect of their lives, from studying to personal hygiene.
“Getting water has been very difficult for us. We have to fetch water from alternative sources, often at great personal risk.
“I have had to fetch water from a construction site near the hostel. The water is not even clean, but we have no choice,” he said.
Gerald also lamented that the students had to spend extra money to fetch water.
He added, “The cleaners charge up to 2,500, 3,000 naira to fill up the drums. It’s a lot of money that could have been spent on other things. The students have also had to deal with the stress of going to fetch water, which has affected their health.”
Corroborating him, another student simply identified as Emmanuel said that the students have had to deal with the stress of going to fetch water.
“It’s not easy, especially when you have to go to a construction site to fetch water. The water is not even clean, but we have no choice,” he stated.
Emmanuel explained that the students have had to go to other places to charge their devices.
“Some people come to classes just for the sole purpose of charging. Some people go as far as the UI to charge their devices.
“We are not getting the education that we need. We are not getting the basic necessities that we need to survive.
“It is a shame on all of us, from Nigeria at the top to UCH management down here,” he said.
Obsolete equipment worsens power crisis — CMD
The Chief Medical Director of UCH, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo said obsolete equipment contributed to the lingering power crisis at the premier hospital.
While expressing concern over the deplorable state of electricity infrastructure in the hospital, the CMD added that many of the electrical infrastructures in the hospital were installed in 1957 when UCH was established and have aged over time.
Otegbayo lamented that the old equipment made it difficult for the hospital to resolve the power crisis, adding that it requires a lot of capital to revamp them.
Blackouts in hospitals may cause more deaths-Stakeholders
Stakeholders in the sector have raised concerns about the potential loss of lives as a result of blackouts in hospitals over lack of electricity.
The experts noted that hospital’s inability to provide basic services due to the lack of electricity may worsen patients’ health conditions, and lead to more deaths.
The president of the Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Austine Aipoh told our correspondent that the blackout at UCH is a manifestation of the federal government’s neglect of the healthcare sector.
Aipoh attributed the blackout to the government’s failure to provide adequate funding for the hospital.
He noted that the hospital’s generators were non-functional due to lack of maintenance, which is a direct result of inadequate funding.
“The truth is that it all boils down to a governmental problem. The hospital is a federal government institution, 100 per cent funded and run. It is supposed to serve as a centre for learning, training, and research. However, due to the decadence in all sectors of the economy, the hospital is struggling to provide basic services.
“It is really sad that the government cannot buy generators or maintain the ones they have. This is a federal government institution, and it’s unacceptable that they cannot provide basic services like electricity,” he noted.
Speaking on how blackouts can have a devastating impact on the hospital’s operations, Aipoh noted that the lack of electricity has made it impossible for the hospital to run critical equipment, including blood banks, mortuaries, and gynecological stations.
“Without power, you can’t run a facility. You can’t afford to have light in the blood bank, otherwise, the blood will get spoiled. You must have light in the mortuary service, otherwise, you’ll have problems. There must be a constant in the gynaecological station where you have IVF and frozen embryos, otherwise, they’ll get spoilt” he stated.
Aipoh called on the government to increase its allocation to the health sector, noting that the current allocation is inadequate.
He also urged the government to prioritise the provision of basic services like electricity in hospitals.
FG to install solar mini-grid to solve UCH power crisis
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Power, revealed plans to implement a permanent solution to the power challenges faced by the institution.
The minister of power, Adebayo Adelabu said the government would install a solar-powered mini-grid for the hospital to reduce energy costs and ensure a sustainable power supply.
Adelabu explained that the mini-grid would provide a reliable source of power for the hospital and help reduce their reliance on the national grid.
The minister added that the initiative will begin this quarter and is expected to be completed within six to nine months.
Once operational, he explained that the solar-powered system would significantly reduce the institutions’ energy bills to less than one-third of the current cost.
“The Federal Government has put in place a permanent solution to reduce the burden of energy costs on these institutions and I can assure you, it will be implemented this year.
“We are going to do the same thing for UI and UCH. By the time we implement that, in my honour, we are starting implementation this quarter and within six to nine months, it will be completed.
“By the time we are done with this, your energy bill will be less than one-third of what you are incurring now,” he stated.
The minister raised serious concerns about energy theft and power fraud within UCH, stressing the need for greater accountability in power consumption.
According to Adelabu, several commercial entities operating in the area, including banks and businesses, are consuming electricity without paying for it.
He emphasised that the issue of unpaid energy usage contributes significantly to the escalating power costs faced by the institutions.
In response, the power minister said the government is implementing a strategy to separate power consumption in UCH.
“A new transformer will be installed to differentiate between the energy usage of the hospital, the College of Medicine, the students’ hostels, and the surrounding businesses. This move is part of a larger plan to ensure that each entity bears responsibility for its electricity consumption, ensuring fairness and preventing institutions like UCH from unfairly covering the costs of businesses and private residences,” he explained.
(Punch)
