UCH Blackout: Dokita Don Tire for Darkness, Three-Day Warning Strike Don Start

UCH Blackout don turn serious gbege for University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, as resident doctors prepare to begin three-day warning strike from 8 a.m. on Monday, October 12, 2026, over prolonged electricity wahala for the College of Medicine residential area. The doctors say dem don endure months of darkness, and the matter don reach level wey patience alone no fit solve again. For hospital wey suppose dey protect lives, na who go rescue the people wey dey do the rescuing?

Nine Months for Darkness: Doctors Don Reach Their Limit

According to the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), UCH chapter, the electricity crisis worsen from January 2026 after circuit breaker wey dey supply the hospital complex develop fault. The association allege say authorities prioritise the main hospital supply while the College of Medicine residential area suffer prolonged darkness. The doctors say dem don endure enough hardship, and the UCH Blackout don affect their welfare and daily living conditions.

The association explain say after dem issue ultimatum for August, dem eventually install another circuit breaker, and electricity return around September 10. But the relief no last reach two weeks: another electrical fault reportedly happen on September 20, and the newly installed breaker comot from the affected area again. As if electricity no dey enough, water shortage don join the wahala, forcing some doctors to source water from private business centres and places of worship within the hospital premises. For this kind situation, even ordinary bucket of water fit become an important medical supply for household survival.

Institutional Wahala and the Bigger Healthcare Problem

The doctors say the disagreement between the University of Ibadan College of Medicine and UCH management don contribute to the problem, leaving residents to suffer while institutions struggle over responsibilities. The association don demand immediate restoration of electricity, urgent repairs of faulty circuit breakers to serve as backups, and a guarantee say future power outages for residential areas no go last pass five days. The Warning Strike go last three days, beginning Monday morning, while the association don also issue a seven-day ultimatum ending October 19 at 8 a.m. If the demands remain unresolved, members go reconvene to consider indefinite strike.

This electricity crisis no be the first time UCH go face such challenge. In 2025, the hospital suffered more than 100 days of power disruption following disconnection from the national grid over outstanding electricity bills. Reports at the time linked the disconnection to an unpaid bill of about ₦400 million, within a much larger accumulated debt. In March 2026, hospital unions also embarked on a five-day warning strike over alleged restrictions on electricity supply to clinical areas and residential quarters. These repeated episodes raise serious questions about infrastructure maintenance, accountability, coordination between institutions and the ability to maintain essential hospital services during power disruptions.

The public health concern here pass whether doctors fit sleep well, charge their phones or switch on fans. Reliable electricity supports medical equipment, safe clinical procedures, water supply, staff welfare and the training of future doctors. Any prolonged disruption fit place additional pressure on workers and patients, although the actual effect on individual treatments must depend on the services affected. Government and hospital authorities need to provide clear information about repairs, backup arrangements and the steps wey dem dey take to prevent another recurrence. Strike fit draw attention to the problem, but patients wey need urgent treatment no suppose become the people wey go pay the highest price for institutional disagreement.

As the three-day Warning Strike approaches, the major test na whether UCH management and the relevant authorities go resolve the electricity crisis before the seven-day deadline expire. Doctors deserve safe and reasonable living conditions, while patients deserve dependable healthcare. Light no be luxury for a major teaching hospital, and water no suppose become an adventure wey medical workers must embark on every day. OGM News Pidgin go continue to monitor the development and report whether dialogue go restore normalcy or the dispute go escalate.