UCH Denies Receiving N118m COVID-19 Donation from Oyo Govt

Femi Ashekun/

The University College Hospital has denied receiving M118 million from the Oyo State Government in its fight against COVID-19 in the state.

The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Toye Akinrinlola, disclosed this in a press statement today.

The state government had claimed that it has over N2.7 billion on the fight against COVID-19 in the state.

While giving the breakdown, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Akinola Ojo, said a total of N900.5 million was spent on procurement of the COVID-19 palliatives and seedlings; N370.6 million was spent on the upgrade of the Infectious Diseases Centre at Olodo; N453.7 million on securing borders, security trucks and personnel; N118 million as support to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for COVID-19 tests.

But the hospital said it only got donations from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, some corporate bodies, well-meaning Nigerians, alumni associations, staff and students.

The statement reads in part, “The attention of the management of the University College Hospital, Ibadan has been drawn to the content of a press release from the Oyo State Government that the sum of N118 million was given to the hospital to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We contacted some officials of Oyo State for clarification on this, but it seems there is a misunderstanding in the difference between the College of Medicine of the University of Ibadan and the University College Hospital Ibadan. It, therefore, behoves the Management of the UCH to put the record straight.

“We hereby state emphatically that the University College Hospital, Ibadan did not and has not received any monetary donation from the Oyo State Government.

“The Chief Medical Director of the UCH is a member of the Oyo State COVID-19 task force. He should know if any money was given to UCH outside the 250 pieces of the PPE given to the hospital.

“All other services rendered to Oyo State by UCH have been strictly humanitarian and no financial benefits have accrued to the hospital.

“I, therefore, wish to say once again that the UCH is not in receipt of any N118m as claimed by the Oyo State Government.”

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