Ibadan Explosion: Tinubu visits victims at UCH

President Bola Tinubu visited the victims of the explosion at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, on Saturday and inspected the damages to the hospital for future repairs.

The president, who took time to speak to the seven patients still at the accident and emergency unit, North West Ward, and the Private Suite of the hospital, said the explosion was unfortunate and asked if the care at the hospital was satisfactory.

Tinubu, who was represented by Dr Tunji Alausa, the Minister for State Health and Social Welfare, said the visit was to extend greetings to victims of the explosion on admission and demonstrate the government’s passion for the people in the country.

“The visit has two prongs: to see some of the victims of the explosion and the unfortunate incidence that happened. The president was informed that several victims of the incident were brought to UCH. So, he asked me to come personally to see each of them and report back to him.

“This is part of his care, his intention, and his passion for the citizens of Nigeria, more so than his determination to improve our healthcare delivery system.

“I was told that 17 patients were brought here; 10 of them were already discharged alive. I have seen the seven of them in admission, and they are doing well. I asked them specifically how the care UCH is providing them has been. Each of them said in an equivocal manner that they were getting excellent care.

“I assure you that the Federal Ministry of Health will help to repair some of these damages; all in all, there is no structural involvement in any of the buildings. These are just minor damages, and we will work quickly to start the repairs.

“The CMD has assured an engineering committee to do integrity tests of the affected buildings. We want our patients, staff, and everyone else in the hospital to be safe.”

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Jesse Otegbayo, who took President Tinubu around the hospital, said in an update that the hospital had received 20 victims of the explosion, with 3 brought in dead but kept in the hospital’s mogue, 10 discharged, and 7 currently on admission.

He added, “For now, we have not been charging these patients; I have directed the bills of these patients to be prepared; they must run into hundreds of thousands.”