For Pregnancy, Antenatal And Delivery, Is Gov’t

 For pregnancy care  antenatal care  and deliveries, is Government hospital better than private hospital?

Hello Eya,

Could you help me sample the opinions of visitors to your blog concerning the above subject?
 
I am pregnant. My mum thinks I should register for antenatal care with the Federal
Medical Center but I’m not convinced that they would do better than a private hospital which I’ve already registered with.
 
Looking forward to the blog post and comments please.
 
Thank you!
Hilary

REPLY TO HILLARY ABOUT WHETHER GOVERNMENT OR PRIVATE HOSPITALS ARE BETTER FOR ANTENATAL CARE AND DELIVERY

 

In Nigeria, Government hospitals are also known as General hospitals. For me, both Government and private hospitals are great depends on the one you are dealing with.

However, for antenatal care in Nigeria, I prefer to be registered with public/Government hospitals because their antenatal care experience is awesome.

Government hospitals are the best for antenatal and delivery (Giving birth). You are sure of genuinely qualified Doctors and nurses, You are sure of seeing different Doctors and consultants on various areas, there is always a follow up and incase of any issue, it can be traced without being swept under the carpet.

When a case becomes too serious, where do private hospitals refer patients to? is it not Government hospitals? In Government hospitals, reports and records are never toyed with because someone must be held accountable for every human error.

 

MORNING HEALTH TALKS ARE MANDATORY IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS

What about informative health talks for pregnant women, you can only get that at Gov’t hospitals, for private hospitals, there is just no fun, you hardly sit down and chat with other pregnant women, when you have appointments, you just go there, see the Doctor, get examined, tested, perhaps drugs administered and you go home.

We know it saves time attending antenatal at private hospitals but I don’t mind wasting just that one day in a month at a hospital where I get to hear from other pregnant mums.

Women with more or less child birth experience, compare notes and receive health lectures from nurses and midwives.

That early morning health talk is compulsory in Government hospitals. Patients are pregnant women are given some important health lectures before proceeding for medical consultations with the Doctors.

 

Long serving and experienced medical personnel , Consultants at Government hospitals

Talking about antenatal experience, you get experienced nurses at Government  hospitals, people who have formed careers in nursing. Most private hospitals are very good at firing and employing fresh graduates who won’t cost them much in allowances and salaries, the experience is not really there I think.

For first time mothers, I would advise that they register with Government hospitals too even  if they want to deliver their babies at private hospitals. Try to attend antenatals there too because there is so much to learn that you’ll miss if you depend only on private hospitals.

The VIP treatment and quick services you enjoy at Private hospitals may be lacking in private hospitals though. Because the Doctors at Public General hospitals have to consult with very many patients daily, you can’t rush and leave as soon as you come. You may have to pick numbers and wait for your turn.

Have a Safe delivery!

 

Also look at the comments below before you make your decision.

19 thoughts on “For Pregnancy, Antenatal And Delivery, Is Gov’t”

  1. my dear govt hospital is d best. I had my 1st baby at a private hospital & to tell u d truth 4 1 day i have nt enjoyed d joy of motherhood. becos of hw they handled me when i'm in labour,my baby is facing a very serious health issue which started on her 1st day of life.but i knw God in his infinite mercy will see her tru it.
    So i have vowed dat if got preggy again, no one will see me @ any private hospital again. So do d needful & register @ a govt hospital as soon as possible cos there mission is to save life while private is out to make money. Thanks

    Reply
  2. Private hospitals may give you VIP treatment and all but trust me, you get the BEST HANDS in good Government hospitals whether for antenatls or delivery. You see nurses who have taken child delivery for long years and gotten truly experienced.

    Reply
  3. Government hospital is the best.. They have Drs,many, their antenatal is intresting dey handle cases better…

    Reply
  4. That's my prblm wit dem. Strike! But dey are d best. I had my 1st 2 children in luth and I'm already attending anc 4 d 3rd. So many experienced hands there. Frm drs to nurses to cleaners. Evn technicians. Dey run all d necessary tests on u, HIV inclusive 4 less. Dey administer malaria drugs + mosquito nets which private hosp don't gv until u actually have malaria. Imagine! Anc classes are so on point. All dem private hosp will direct u 2 dem once a case gets too serious. So y not reg wit dem. And d crowd in gen hosp no be here. But dey sure know wat dey r doing. Iphy

    Reply
  5. As for me I used a private hospital. ANC was once every two weeks,when I was about 34wks it became one a week. Every last thursday of the month we go for lectures and exercise. Every ANC visit your urine is collected to run test for sugar and protien. I was tested for HIV and various STDs. My blood level was closely monitored. Anti-malaria drugs are given. Guess if u opt for a private hospital then ensure its a good one. All the best with your pregnancy and delivery.

    Reply
  6. Public hospitals are the best but there are some mamas (end time nurses) who can make one's life miserable through all manner of abuse (majorly verbal). Some get zero tolerance for any slight mistake on your part as regards instructions. As earlier mentioned by others, Strike affects the efficiency of public hospitals.

    If you have the money, you can inquire about good private hospital. The only thing is "Obe to dun, Owo lo pa". Soup wey sweet na money kill am.

    All the best in your final decision.

    Reply
  7. Interesting opinions . General hospitals makes sense.Private does too. I had my first two babies in General, but now i have to use private with office health insurance. on my first visit i saw the Matron who stitched me :)). so i guess the privates sometimes invite the Pubs for …

    Reply
  8. my dear it depends….i v birthd by 4kids in private hosp, my doctor is a specialist dat goes to diff federal hosps, his a proff in gyneo n d antenental talks or lesson is superb .

    Reply
  9. My dear it is not all private hospitals that is as you described. I have my babies in a private hospital and I can bet you that they have all the specialist you can think of, most of them also work in govt hospitals. As for the antenatal classes, they take their time to lecture us for 3 to 4 hrs before we start seeing doctors.
    The situation in govt hospitals I have been to is not apealling please. The unkept wards, the rude nurses, the doctors that ar over worked because they have so many patients to attend to. When a friend delivered in a govt hospital, I remember how we use to beg the doctors and nurses to come and examine her.

    If you go to a good private hospital that's has capable hands and facilities, you won't be sounding like this. I pray nothing ever takes me to a govt hospital. I have seen a lot of friends who went there and came back with sad stories. The only set back in private hospitals is that they are expensive. But I don't mind so far as I get what I want. Thanks.

    Reply
  10. Seems we use the same hospital cos all the things you mentioned, they do in mine too. Mine has qualified doctors some work with fed hospitals too. They have all the eqipments. The lectures is always very educative, lasts for abt 3 hrs every thrursday. In every visit, your urine sample will be collected, they run tests like HIV,genotype, Stds, they check your BP, weight etc always. They also give anti-tetanus injection 3x before you deliver, they give you malaria treatment, lecture you on what to eat and what to avoid. They have abulances to come and carry you from home if you don't have means of coming when in labour. After delivery, a doctor and a nurse comes to visit you at home to check you and the baby on the 5th and 20th day( don't allow them catch you giving your baby milk o, they advocate exclusive breastfeeding for atleast 3 months). You are also reguired to visit them on d 10th day after delivery with the baby. My hospital follows up on the baby's development till the baby is 1. They remind you of immunization, and it's not a must you immunize you baby with them, but they sha must call you to remind you. When your baby clocks 1,they send people to come and pray with the family and they give the baby gifts and bd card. The first 3 times the baby will visit the hospital, no fees will be charged.
    The long and short of it is that you have a close reationship with the doctors and the nurses in a private hospital. Clean environments, sparkling and well furnished rooms. Most works there knows most of us by name. As I'm entering, I'm being adressed as Mrs…make one feel at home. Every1 is respectful and always willing to listen and help you out. I made a lot of friends with other pregnant women in my huspital. Some are now so dear to me that I feel I have known them for years.

    It's a matter of choice tho. Just register in a place you feel comfortable, but make sure they have capable hands and the right equipments incase of emergency.

    Reply
  11. I had my first child in a general hospital, their services was superb. They did all d test, hiv, genotype, PCV, urine, hbp etc and my delivery d nurses were nice. But I moved out of that state to a very unserious state wen it cums to health issues. Now I'm pregnant and using a private clinic and I can assure u I'm not impressed lie lie, it seems d doc is more intressted in his money. God will see me tru!

    Reply
  12. Plz wats d name and location of this ur hosp? I wouldn't mind registering when am preggy, lol. I just love their services.

    Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.