The management of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo State, has mandated each patient to pay N1,000 daily for electricity supply, in order to cushion the biting effects of increase in the price of electricity tariffs and diesel used to power generating plants by the hospital.
This was stated in the hospital’s internal memo circulated on June 21.
It said the high cost of electricity tariffs and increasing price of diesel, were behind the decision to compel the patients to shoulder the cost of power supply at the tertiary health facility.
The memo titled; ‘Approval for the Recommendation to Add Utility Fee to the Service Fee Charged to Patients in the Hospital’, was signed by Wole Oyeyemi, UCH administrator, on behalf of the chairman, Medical Advisory Committee and Chief Medical Director.
It was addressed to the Director/Head, Finance and Accounts Department of the hospital.
“Following the recurring power outage in the hospital, high cost of electricity tariff and inflation in the price of diesel which have impeded stable power supply, management has decided to consider measures that can help to facilitate flawless service delivery in the hospital.
“To this end, I write to convey the management’s approval for the mandatory payment of utility fee of N1,000.00 (one thousand naira only) daily by every patient accessing care in this hospital.
“You are requested to kindly implement the approval with immediate effect”, the memo reads.