Minister inaugurates power supply committee to tackle energy deficits in health facilities
By Matthew Denis
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, has inaugurated an implementation committee for the National Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector, aimed at enhancing electricity supply in healthcare facilities across the country.
Speaking on Friday during his keynote address, the Minister stated: “Since assuming office approximately six months ago, I have conducted working visits to numerous Federal Tertiary Health Institutions across different geopolitical zones of the country. These familiarisation visits have provided me with first-hand exposure to the challenges faced by our Federal Tertiary Health Institutions, one of the most pressing being electricity shortages and the exorbitant cost of energy.
“As you may be aware, recent media reports have painted an unfavourable picture of power supply in our public healthcare institutions. In response, the Federal Government has introduced various initiatives, including a 50% electricity subsidy for public hospitals and the installation of solar power mini-grids in selected healthcare facilities.”
Dr Salako underscored that, despite these interventions, the challenges remain largely unaddressed, necessitating an urgent reassessment of conventional models for power generation and supply in hospitals. He stressed that the current situation calls for a collaborative, cross-sectoral approach, as many of the issues extend beyond the jurisdiction of the health sector alone.
He stated: “During my visits to various hospitals, I have instructed Medical Directors to explore diverse public-private partnership models, develop viable business cases, and formulate strategic engagement plans that will attract private sector investment in alternative and renewable energy solutions.
“I urge all public healthcare institutions to adopt this approach, and I believe this should be a key priority for the Committee of Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Directors (MDs) of Federal Tertiary Hospitals.
“Although some health institutions have begun implementing alternative energy solutions, it is evident that these efforts are fragmented and lack an overarching framework, operational guidelines, or a comprehensive policy. Additionally, reports have surfaced of fire incidents, battery failures, theft of essential energy infrastructure, and various operational and maintenance challenges in facilities that have adopted alternative energy projects.
“We can no longer maintain the status quo given the soaring energy costs incurred by our hospitals. It is imperative that we collectively work towards easing the financial burden of exorbitant electricity bills, which consume hundreds of millions of Naira each month.
“This is the moment to embrace creativity and innovation as we develop and implement intelligent energy solutions that will fortify our healthcare system and empower us to fulfil our fundamental responsibility of improving public health outcomes. The necessity of a National Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector has become undeniable.”
The Minister explained that the objectives of the dialogue will include: “Assessing the existing power policy framework in light of the urgent energy requirements of tertiary and other public health facilities in Nigeria, drawing insights from experiences in other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
“Gathering on-the-ground perspectives on the prevailing power situation and soliciting pragmatic recommendations and best practices.
“Identifying alternative and sustainable solutions by examining renewable energy options, backup power systems, and energy-efficient strategies to enhance power reliability.
“Establishing mechanisms to strengthen public-private partnerships for electricity supply to public healthcare institutions.”
The Minister further outlined the need to “Build consensus on policy and regulatory frameworks, funding mechanisms, and long-term sustainability strategies for an efficient power supply to tertiary and other public health institutions.
“Develop a collaborative action plan to monitor the implementation of key agreements reached during the national dialogue.”
He confirmed that the proposed National Dialogue will be hosted by the Office of the Honourable Minister of State for Health in either Abuja or Lagos. The event will bring together experts from both the health and power sectors, with participants carefully selected based on their level of expertise and influence.
Key resolutions and recommendations will be documented in a communiqué, and a Collaborative Plan of Action will be developed to ensure the effective implementation of the agreed strategies through the Office of the Honourable Minister of State for Health.
The Minister also reaffirmed the commitment to: Convene the National Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Power in the Health Sector; Ensure the effective execution of recommendations arising from the dialogue; Mobilise resources and attract investment for the sustainable electrification of public healthcare facilities using a whole-of-government approach.
He expressed his appreciation to the Minister of Power for his dedication to cross-sectoral collaboration, as they jointly tackle the pressing challenges of energy provision that continue to burden healthcare facilities across the country.