Hospitals in Lagos NigeriaClassifications of hospitals in Lagos Nigeria depends on their size, functions and ownership. For instance government owned hospitals number close to hundred and they can be grouped in to primary health care centers, secondary health care and tertiary health care centers. The privately owned hospitals on the other hand could be consulting clinics, hospitals and maternity centers or could also have more specialized services in addition to the general services they render. Let’s have a look at the government owned hospitals. Primary health care centers In Lagos state the primary health care centers are usually owned by local governments although sometimes the State government could own and operate such hospitals. These hospitals or health care centers render medical and other health care services that could be classified as primary health care services such as maternity services, treatment and diagnosis of common fevers and infections, treatment of injuries and prescriptive services. Health care centers do not usually have surgical services and resident doctors because of the basic nature of their services and they often times employ consultant doctors render medical services on their behalf. A well known primary health care center in Lagos Nigeria is the health center at Ebute metta in the Yaba development council area of the state. Secondary health care centers or General Hospitals The general hospitals in Lagos Nigeria are owned and operated by the Lagos state government and they render general medical services including surgery to the public. Most general hospitals in Lagos Nigeria were constructed by the military regimes of the 1970s and 1980s and as a result tend to suffer the same fate as many other institutions founded by the military (neglect and inefficiency) although gradually there seems to be restoration of normalcy and orderliness in some of the general hospitals. Usually general hospitals have resident doctors, several pharmacists and medical representatives, laboratory technicians and specialists, nurses, midwives, matrons and other medical personnel. They also have more space to accommodate emergencies such as gunshot and accident victims or people with heart failures among other similar situations. In the past medical services in this part of Nigeria was epileptic with resident doctors and other medical staff frequently going on strike or there being a shortage of drugs and other equipments for treatment patients. That seems to be changing fast as the Lagos state government has been upgrading them and providing better conditions of service for the employed staff of these hospitals. Also in this class of hospitals are the federal medical centers owned by the Federal government but the federal medical centers are a bit more sophisticated than the general hospitals and also offer slightly more expensive medical services. Two good examples of this class of hospitals are the General hospital at Randle Avenue in Surulere and the Federal medical center in Ebute metta. Tertiary Health care Centers and Teaching Hospitals The tertiary health care centers are the highest of all government hospitals in terms of available facilities and staff as well as functions. These hospitals in Lagos Nigeria train and help build medical personnel for the country’s health sector while also rendering diverse medical services. They are sometimes larger than the general hospitals and may include world class facilities as well as providing very complex medical services such as heart surgeries, Siamese surgeries or organ transplants. Examples of such hospitals include Lagos University Teaching Hospital at Idiaraba, National Orthopadaeic Hospital Igbobi and the Yaba psychiatric Hospital. Private Health centers and Hospitals Most privately owned health centers render consultancy services for treatment of common diseases and illnesses including infections of various kinds. They are a usually more expensive than government owned hospitals although they are more convenient offering one the flexibility of prompt and satisfactory treatment and attention. Also there are many standard hospitals which could also be classified as secondary health care centers. for instance there is the privately owned EKO hospital which rivals some of the general hospitals in terms of available facilities and skilled personnel although it is out of the reach of most Lagos Nigeria residents. Benefits and drawbacks Patronizing the government owned hospitals is good because it guarantees treatment from skilled and well trained personnel as well as being affordable. The most common drawback is having to deal with large number of other patients who also want medical attention. That means services tend to be slow, inefficient and frustrating for those who need immediate medical attention. On the other hand most private hospitals especially specialists medical centers are very expensive although you are assured of prompt medical attention. Some privately owned hospitals can even be termed glorified consulting rooms because all their services are rendered within a room or two by sometimes unqualified medical personnel or quacks. An alternative to western medical centers is the alternative traditional or non-orthodox health centers. Conclusion If have the money and need medical attention, the private secondary health centers are the place to because of their prompt and efficient services. However, government hospitals in Lagos Nigeria are for the common man. Comment on this articlePlease leave a comment for others to read. return to Lagos Nigeria |