FG grants 50% electricity subsidy to public hospitals

The federal government says it has granted a 50 percent electricity subsidy to public hospitals in the country.

Tunji Alausa, minister of state for health and social welfare, disclosed this on Thursday during a visit to the National Neo-Psychiatric Hospital in Barnawa, Kaduna.

He said that the rebate is intended to reduce the operating costs of public hospitals, thereby increasing efficiency and lessening the fees paid by patients.

“We know they are development institutions, they are social institutions. But inside the health and educational institutions, private businesses are hiding under them,” he said.

“These people charge their customers commercially and they expect to be subsidised because they are located within the territories of these institutions.

“We said no, go and do a proper search and meter everybody. For the ones that are properly health and education-related, we are ready to subsidise them, even if they are on Band A.

“We are compiling our data. DisCos will collect a certain amount and the government will pay the balance.

“But we must get the data right so that we are not subsidising a private business that is charging its customers commercially. That will be an abnormal profit and it is unfair.”

The minister also commissioned the electronic health records and alternative power supply at the Lawal Jafaru Isah Emergency Complex and the solarisation project at the dialysis unit.