Medical students of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, have yesterday, trooped out in a peaceful protest over the seemingly interminable blackout at the tertiary institution.

Being supported by the Students Union (SU) of the university, the protest kickstarted at 7:00 a.m.

The SU President, Bolaji Aweda, maintained that the demonstration is a follow-up to a seven-day ultimatum given the management of UI and UCH.

Aweda, who pinpointed a power-play among the stakeholders, revealed how the power outage had lasted for over 82 days.

According to him, the situation has affected the living condition of students and their academics, making them unable to function well.

He said: “Our demand is the immediate restoration of power to UCH and other hospitals currently facing a similar situation.

“We desire implementation of the 50 per cent electricity tariff discount announced by the Ministry of Power in August 2024, and the reform of the health sector in Nigeria.

“If UCH, the foremost healthcare hospital in Nigeria, is this bad, one can imagine what other health institutions in the country will look like.”

Also, his predecessor, Tobiloba Samuel, said they had explored consultative means with the managements to no avail.

HOWEVER, the University of Ibadan branch of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has implored Governor Seyi Makinde to intervene and restore stable electricity supply to the institution.

It commended the decision of the Students’ Union to organise the protest.

The group described the action as long due, citing the severe impact of the persistent blackout on students, workers, and patients.

ERC Branch Secretary, Nnamdi Ochi, highlighted the dire consequences of the situation.

“UCH, as a teaching hospital, provides critical medical services and supports academic activities. Unfortunately, many of these services have been suspended or reduced due to the incessant blackout, putting patients’ lives at risk, and worsening living and learning conditions for students.

“The working conditions for health professionals and academics have become extremely challenging, leading to burnout and a decline in morale. Additionally, the water supply and sanitation systems are gravely affected, creating an environment ripe for infections,” he said.

The ERC decried the appalling conditions at UCH, and pledged to support all democratic efforts to resolve the crisis.

The group linked the ongoing challenges to broader neglect of student welfare by both past and present administrations of the university.