The management of the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, has denied that it received the sum of N118 million from the Oyo State government to fight COVID-19 pandemic.
The Oyo State government, had on Tuesday, through the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinola Ojo, while giving the breakdown of money spent to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in the state, was quoted to have said the amount was released to UCH.
But the management of the hospital in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Toye Akinrinlola, said its investigation revealed that the money was given to the College of Medicine of the University of Ibadan.
The statement reads: “We contacted some officials of Oyo State for a 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.
“The UCH has been able to cope with the rigours of pandemic through donations from the NCDC (an organ of the Federal Government), some corporate bodies, well meaning Nigerians, Alumni associations of the hospital, staff and students of 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.”
