Provide solar grid for hospitals, physicians urge FG

In response to the persistent challenges faced by hospitals in Nigeria due to unreliable electricity supply, stakeholders in the health sector have called on the Federal Government to urgently implement solar grid systems in healthcare facilities across the country.

They lamented that hospitals often struggle with inadequate power supply, which jeopardises the functioning of essential medical equipment and disrupts critical services.

While advising the government to recognise hospitals as essential infrastructure deserving of reliable and subsidised electricity supply, the experts said there is a need for proactive measures to implement both immediate relief and sustainable energy solutions to safeguard healthcare delivery nationwide.

A former chairman of Nigeran Medical Association, Dr Adewunmi Alayaki, emphasised the necessity of sustainable energy solutions, noting that erratic power supply poses a significant threat to patient safety and healthcare delivery.

Alayaki, a former national secretary of NMA, stressed the need for robust measures such as solar grids to ensure continuous and reliable electricity.

While maintaining that the proposal aligns with the global trends towards renewable energy adoption in healthcare settings, the physician said this would mitigate the impact of power outages and reduce operational costs and adverse environmental footprint.

The physician highlighted the potential long-term benefits of integrating solar energy into healthcare infrastructure, citing improved emergency response capabilities and enhanced resilience during crises.

He urged the government to prioritise funding and policy support for the installation of solar grids in hospitals nationwide.

This proactive approach, he said, would not only strengthen the healthcare sector but also contribute to sustainable development goals by promoting clean energy usage.

Alayaki noted, “Investing in solar grids not only guarantees continuous power supply but also aligns with global trends towards renewable energy adoption, benefiting both healthcare outcomes and operational efficiency

“The erratic power supply poses a significant threat to patient safety and healthcare delivery. Implementing solar grids in hospitals would ensure uninterrupted power, critical for operating life-saving equipment and maintaining patient care standards.”

Corroborating him, the President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Dele Abdullahi said the federal government should prioritise the provision of solar grids for healthcare facilities.

He highlighted the critical nature of uninterrupted electricity in hospitals, stressing that power outages can directly jeopardise patient care, affect the operation of essential medical equipment, and compromise emergency response capabilities.

He expressed concern that current electricity providers often prioritise commercial interests over the needs of hospitals, which are crucial for public health and community well-being.

“The hospital is not just another government business; it is a critical infrastructure that serves the entire community. Ensuring hospitals have uninterrupted power is not just a government responsibility but a humanitarian necessity,” he stated

Listing potential solutions, Abdullahi proposed both short-term interventions and long-term strategies.

In the short term, he advocated for government subsidies to ensure hospitals receive continuous and affordable electricity supply.

While for the long term, he endorsed the idea of implementing solar grids as a sustainable solution to mitigate dependency on erratic grid power supply and the high cost of using fuel-powered generating sets.

He added, “While solar grids present a promising the long-term solution, we must also consider the logistical challenges.

“Hospitals require substantial power to operate critical equipment such as CT scanners, MRI machines, and laboratory facilities. It will take time and careful planning to scale up solar capacity across all hospitals effectively.”

Meanwhile, the call by the experts to provide solar grids for hospitals aligns closely with the recent resolution by the House of Representatives call on the government to address the electricity challenges faced by teaching hospitals, medical centres, and universities across Nigeria.

Recently at a plenary, the House adopted a motion on urgent public importance moved by the member representing Ede North/Ede South/ Egbedero Federal Constituency in Osun State, Mr Bamidele Salam.

Titled, “Matter of urgent public importance on the need for the Federal Government to devise means to support teaching hospitals, medical centres and universities with mini solar grids and other alternative power sources to prevent loss of lives and disruptions in their services, “ the federal lawmaker said if urgent measures are not put in place to remove the burden of the new electricity tariff on teaching hospitals, medical centres and universities in Nigeria, the entire health and education sectors may collapse, thus endangering the lives of Nigerians.

According to him, “Teaching hospitals, medical centres and universities are all in Band A due to the peculiar need to constantly power medical equipment, and undertake procedures, among others that may be required to keep patients alive and deliver critical services.

“The House is worried that this increment is huge and unaffordable by these tertiary health institutions in Nigeria, hence the need to provide an affordable and sustainable alternative.

“According to an investigation, the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (pays N75m monthly, which translates to N2.5 million per day; the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (operated by Bayero University, Kano) pays N119m per month (approximately N4 million daily).

“Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital pays N50m monthly (N1.66 million each day), Jos University Teaching Hospital pays N31m or N1.03m daily, and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Teaching Hospital parts with N50m monthly or N1.66m daily.”

Following the adoption of the motion, the House urged the Federal Government to devise means to support teaching hospitals, medical centres and universities with mini solar grids given the huge and unaffordable electricity bills occasioned by new electricity tariffs.