The Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) has issued a desperate plea for electricity to be restored after the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) disconnected the hospital over unpaid bills, leaving critically ill patients at risk.
Hospital authorities disclosed that the sudden blackout has already claimed the lives of some patients in intensive care, while others remain in danger as life-support machines and essential medical equipment depend on uninterrupted power supply.
In a statement released by Hauwa Inuwa Dutse, Head of the Information Unit, the hospital explained that it has been regularly paying electricity bills from its internally generated revenue while also spending heavily on diesel to keep generators running. However, officials stressed that despite efforts to manage costs, the hospital cannot function effectively without KEDCO’s support.
The management appealed to the electricity provider to urgently reconnect power, assuring that steps are being taken to address outstanding debts. “Our priority is saving lives, and we urge KEDCO to work with us in sustaining vital healthcare delivery,” the statement read.
Efforts to reach KEDCO for comments were unsuccessful, as its spokesperson, Bala Sani, did not respond to calls at the time of filing this report.