The
University of Calabar Teaching Hospital has been thrown into darkness
following a disagreement with an electricity distribution company.
Authorities of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital have
disagreed with the Port-Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company over
an estimated N36m bill that has thrown the tertiary health institution
into darkness.
Following the development, investigation on Tuesday revealed that
critical medical equipment had broken down, while the queue for patients
expected to undergo surgeries has been on the increase.
According to The Punch, it was also observed that the hospital was
battling to attend to the several patients expected to undergo surgery
as a result of limited power supply to the critical units from the
hospital’s alternative generators.
Besides, virtually all the offices in the administration building
and some wards were in darkness due to the cutting-off of power supply
from public source.
It was learnt that the power supply was cut off on Friday following a controversial accumulated N36m estimated bill from PHEDC.
Chief Medical Director of UCTH, Dr. Thomas Agan, said the action of PHEDC has crippled activities in the health institution.
He specifically blamed the Calabar office of PHEDC for
disconnecting power supply at a time when over six patients were on
queue for surgeries.
Agan, who solicited the intervention of the National Assembly to
prevail on the Federal Government to take over the management of
electricity bills, called on distribution companies to apply caution
when dealing with health institutions, as it could lead to unnecessary
loss of lives.
He said, “As at last Friday, the PHEDC business manager said
our indebtedness stood at N36m. He threatened that if we did not defray
it, they won’t re-connect us.
“One thing I want to let the public know is that a hospital is
not a profit-making venture. All we do is service delivery and if you
disconnect us, you have crippled the whole system.
“When the business manager led a team to disconnect us, we had
six patients on the operating table. No matter how you want to make
money, you do it with some degree of human face.
“I don’t know how they arrived at the estimated bill that has
accumulated over time. Could it be that they just walked into the
hospital premises to see the size before coming up with such a bogus
amount as a bill.
“As I speak, because of this incessant power cut, most of our
equipment have broken down. The radiology equipment and several other
sensitive facilities have broken down.
“My appeal now is that either the Federal Government take over
the servicing of power to the hospitals or bills coming in from the
electricity company go directly to the Federal Government for
settlement.”
The Business Manager of PHEDC, Calabar, Mr. George Chinwo, could
not be reached, as his telephone number was switched off; while the
Public Relations Officer, Meg Donkemezuo, said she was not aware of the
development.
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