When it comes to healthcare in Nigeria, my experiences have been a mixture of good moments and disappointing ones. I'm not the type that falls sick easily and I thank God for that because I don't think I can survive if I'm to lie down in a hospital bed.
If I'm to choose between private and government healthcare, I will obviously go for the first. Being an individually owned enterprise, they will want to maintain a good name, build a high profile of efficiency so as to get lots of customers but the public is the opposite. They work absentmindedly since no one cares.
The experience I had in a private hospital left a great impression. My uncle suffered a gunshot wound. We all feared that his leg might need amputation but thank God for the excellent treatment he received in the private hospital. The level of care, expertise and the dedication of the medical professionals made me cherish healthcare practitioners.
Another scenario that took a disappointing turn was when I sought treatment for BP at my school hospital. With the number of students in the university, all paying for medicals, I expected quality treatment but reality done on me. That day I was with my school medical card and since I was a student I was entitled to receive free treatment. I walked in, I was first told to go register which I did.
After the registration, I sat there waiting to be called but to no avail. The response I kept getting was it's not yet your turn but I didn't see anyone sitting close to me. After waiting for close to an hour, I even had to walk out to attend to other stuff and finally I was called.
After the check, it was time to administer drugs to me. I expected to receive the drugs for free as a bonafide student who has been paying for medical expenses each session. After the whole wasted time, I was disappointed when I was told that they don't have the drugs I needed because of the cost. They listed out the drugs and asked me to go purchase them outside.
I shared the experience with others and I got to hear the worst stories from others. Some complained the drugs they got worsened their health, some said the drugs don't work. I was discouraged and that was my last visit to healthcare until I graduated.
When my sister-in-law experienced giving birth in a teaching hospital, I couldn't wish what we encountered for an enemy. The rude behavior from the staff, the unhygienic conditions, and the lackluster environment, with full awareness of what they were doing, they had to bring in a policy where the rich have a good and private room for themselves with well furnished bed and toilet inside, that comes with higher pay only for those who can afford it if not, you stay in the public room where like 50 persons each with her bed and all share one toilet.
I even got to find out that one pays the sum of 1500 naira each day for bed and space. Imagine spending a month or more on the hospital bed. The other private room was 7,000 naira for bed and space daily. All these are not part of the hospital bills, drugs and admittance fees. With those two experiences, I believe and recommend the private sector to the public. The public healthcare needs improvements, the citizens need compassionate and equal treatment regardless of the sector.