Resident doctors at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Oyo state, have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike over the hospital’s lingering electricity crisis.
The resident doctors had earlier embarked on a one-week warning strike from March 2 to 6, 2026, to demand improved electricity supply within the hospital premises. Uthman Adedeji, president of the UCH Association of Resident Doctors, said the doctors had already communicated their plans to embark on an indefinite strike if the situation persists.
Adedeji said a teaching hospital in 2026 is being forced to operate like a facility from a bygone era.
“We embarked on a five-day warning strike. It started on Monday last week and ended on Friday. When we returned to work on Saturday, the situation had not changed. That was only a warning strike because we are trying to follow due process and resolve the issue responsibly,” he said. “Unfortunately, since our warning strike ended, we have not been called to any meaningful meeting for discussion or resolution.
“However, we have issued another ultimatum for 21 days, which started on March 7, 2026. If nothing changes after that, we may embark on an indefinite strike. We have communicated this clearly.”
He said the electricity problem had begun to affect the quality of care for patients and preventing doctors in training from getting the best out of their residency programme.
