The 3.48 MW power generating gas plant constructed in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), under a Public Private Partnership arrangement has remained unutilised, since completion in the last quarter of 2015.
The 55-year old hospital prided as Nigeria’s largest teaching hospital, has been plagued with epileptic power supply for years, and recently had a complete power outage for the better part of last week.
A reputable source who does not want to be placed on record, explained that while the gas plant has been fully completed; it has not commenced operations because a gas supply link is yet to be established.
The source explained an agreement had been reached between LUTH and Oando Nigeria Plc, for the provision of gas through a channel from Ojuelegba.
However, the contract has been put on hold because Oando insists on being furnished with a bank guarantee.
It was further explained that the bank guarantee being requested by Oando couldn’t be obtained by the foremost teaching hospital, as it no longer has control over its finances due to the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which has been implemented by the Federal Government.
It was also revealed that while LUTH offered to make cash payment to get gas supply for the power plant to become operational, Oando still wouldn’t budge, as the company insisted on the provision of a bank guarantee which would offer it some measure of insurance and guarantee of sustained payment.
BusinessDay also reliably gathered that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has so far declined to provide the required bank guarantee, which LUTH needs to conclude its gas supply contract with Oando Plc.
Calls to Muazu Ibrahim, the CBN spokesperson were not answered; likewise a text message, requesting clarification from the apex bank.
A source had also informed BusinessDay that newborn babies who had jaundice were being discharged from LUTH, without a proper care, due to the inability to provide constant power for the equipment required to treat them properly.
Responding to this, Kelechi Otuneme, Public Relations Officer of LUTH, denied the allegation that newborn babies were being discharged.
“LUTH provides constant power for such areas, “he added. He also says that Children’s wards and Accidents and Emergency (A&E) are always provided with constant power supply.
He further explained, that as at last Thursday morning, when BusinessDay called, a tanker load of diesel was distributing fuel to generating sets powering key facilities in the hospital.
Also responding to BusinessDay’s enquiries, Akinwunmi Afolabi, President of the Association of Resident Doctors in LUTH, said, he did not know for a fact if children were being discharged because the hospital was facing power outages, which made it difficult to adequately care for the infants.
He however also attested that the epileptic power supply being experienced in the hospital has been affecting service delivery.
A former Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Akin Oshibogun, had said in 2013 that the hospital utilises up to 5,000litres of diesel a day in order to keep running.
The Lagos University Teaching hospital renders services in specialised areas of medicine such as Neuro-Surgery, Haemo-dialysis, Cancer treatment, Eye treatment, Urology, Paediatric Surgery, and Maternal Health, among others.
LUTH also boasts of a comprehensive Diagnostic Centre and VIP Clinic, state of the art laboratories, radio diagnosis, radiotherapy and renal dialysis facilities.
The hospital’s records show from 330 beds at inception; it is the largest teaching hospital in Nigeria, with 761 beds, collaborating with the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos in the training of hundreds of Medical, Dental, Pharmacy and other Science students.
CALEB OJEWALE
