Resident doctors at UCH, Ibadan, Oyo State, have escalated their dispute with hospital management by threatening to embark on an indefinite strike

Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.

Resident doctors at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, have escalated their dispute with hospital management by threatening to embark on an indefinite strike if the longstanding electricity crisis at the facility is not resolved within three weeks. The announcement marks a deepening crisis at one of Nigeria’s foremost teaching hospitals, where power outages have been disrupting medical services, training, and patient care for months.

The doctors, organised under the Association of Resident Doctors, UCH chapter, previously staged a five-day warning strike from March 2 to March 6, 2026, to draw urgent attention to the dire electricity situation within the hospital premises. That action, however, failed to prompt any meaningful response from hospital management or lead to a sustained improvement in power supply, according to the union.

In statements to journalists, the president of the Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Uthman Adedeji, described the current power crisis as unacceptable, especially for a modern teaching hospital in 2026. He explained that after the warning strike was suspended, doctors returned to work only to find that the essential demand—a reliable and sustained electricity supply—remained unaddressed. As a result, the association issued a 21-day ultimatum from March 7, 2026, warning that they would proceed with a full-scale indefinite strike if there is no resolution.

Adedeji said the issue has not only compromised patient care but also seriously hindered the training of doctors in residency programs, as many critical clinical procedures and laboratory activities cannot proceed without dependable power. He expressed frustration that despite due process and warnings, management had not engaged in substantive dialogue to resolve the matter.

The electricity crisis at UCH predates the current escalation. Several episodes over the past two years have seen the hospital disconnected from the national grid due to unpaid bills, power rationing by the local distribution company, and structural challenges in funding utility costs. Protests by students and staff have drawn attention to the prolonged blackouts, which at times lasted for more than 80 days, forcing medical students at the University of Ibadan’s College of Medicine to protest and demand action from authorities.

The impact of the crisis has been far-reaching. Certain units of the hospital have been plunged into darkness for extended periods, compelling doctors and nurses to attend to patients using torchlights and flashlights. During earlier prolonged blackouts in 2024 and 2025, some surgical procedures were postponed, and emergency services were stretched as backup generators struggled to cope with the high demand.

Part of the root of the ongoing power challenges has been traced to a disconnection by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company in late 2024, when the hospital was reportedly cut off from the grid over a significant accumulated debt. Efforts by government officials and stakeholders to negotiate reconnection included meetings with the Minister of Power and hospital leadership, with periodic assurances that power would be restored. However, gaps in follow-through have left the problem unresolved, with doctors and hospital workers bearing the consequences.

Union leaders at UCH have stressed that their current demands focus narrowly on restoring adequate power supply to both clinical and residential areas of the hospital, arguing that the issue is a matter of service delivery and patient safety rather than personal benefits or unrelated grievances. They emphasised that the doctors have followed due process by issuing warnings and ultimatums before threatening an indefinite strike.

The looming threat of an indefinite strike comes at a time when the quality of Nigeria’s health infrastructure is already under scrutiny, with many citizens lamenting that the country’s premier health institutions should not be struggling with basic utilities. Recurring blackouts at major hospitals like UCH highlight broader systemic issues in healthcare funding, infrastructure management, and accountability in public service delivery.

Government officials and stakeholders have yet to issue a comprehensive response to the latest ultimatum, and it remains unclear whether negotiations will resume before the 21-day deadline lapses. Should the resident doctors proceed with the indefinite strike, the operational capacity of UCH could be significantly affected, potentially leading to reduced clinical services, delayed surgeries, suspension of training programs, and wider disruptions in one of Nigeria’s critical public health institutions.

With patient care, medical education, and health outcomes all hanging in the balance, the crisis at UCH presents an urgent policy challenge. Health advocates and civil society groups have called on government authorities at federal and state levels to intervene swiftly, restore reliable power supply, and prevent further deterioration of healthcare services at the hospital.

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