Over the years, I've had diverse experiences using both the government-owned services and the privately owned services, and I can tell that both have their merits and downsides. Personally, when it comes to anything health-related, I use the government services mostly, except on rare occasions when I need an urgent diagnosis or treatment.
I have done 3 surgeries while giving birth, and all have been through the government services, not because I cannot afford the cost of the private hospitals around me but simply because I need to be where I will be handled by specialized doctors. I don't know about other states, but here in Lagos State, Nigeria, where I reside, I have used different government-owned hospitals, and they are all well equipped with specialists to attend to patients as the need arises. It's never the case of one particular doctor being the Anastasia doctor; he is also the pediatrician, he is the gynecologist, just name it. This thing is common in the private hospitals, and that's why I hardly patronize privates when it's about sensitive health treatment.
The government hospitals have different sectors working together to ensure a whole treatment. For example, I gave birth the other time and a complication arose, the pediatrician and the ENT specialists were called urgently to attend to my child and the situation was handled immediately. Some private hospitals may not have the services of those bodies available, and you would be referred, and of course, delay is dangerous when it's about emergencies. Some private hospitals have other specialists on appointments, meaning that you can't see a particular specialist whenever you need the service until the day the doctor will be on duty within the week. I have been transferred from private to government hospitals several times because of the same issues. Good enough, I have been meeting private doctors who are sincere enough to disclose that they can't handle my case all alone in their hospital, but rather I should make use of the government hospital where many doctors will be available to brainstorm and give me the best service.
I really have a lot to say about government services when it comes to the health sector because even with my kids, I have had a lot of experiences using both services. At this point, I am sure you may have been convinced of why government services are my preference in the health sector. However, I wouldn't overlook their downsides which includes long queues before seeing the doctor, the general wards are not always neat enough unless you pay to stay in the private ward and some other downsides.
In education, hmmm, I am only choosing the private sector due to overcrowded classroom, the nonchalant attitude of most tutors in the public schools, and the persistent strike in public schools especially in my country. But sincerely, if you are looking for schools with qualified teachers, you see them in the public schools. These days, governments are really upgrading, building smart schools in some states, adding modern facilities, but still, I think the private schools are well-structured with more dedicated teachers because they are more monitored, unlike what we see teachers do in public schools. Putting my kids in private school comes with intentionality because most private schools around here don't hire qualified teachers because they don't want to pay them well. So I take my time to consider a lot of factors before choosing a private school, although it comes with high-cost services.
If money isn't a problem, I wouldn't even dream of using the government services in terms of power because it's only disappointment I can get. It's preferable for me to equip my home and office with solar and escape all the headaches from the government services when it's about power.
In conclusion, picking a preference between government and private services depends on the sector. There are times when the government services are just a lifesaver for me, whereas in some cases, the private service is my go-to. Let's just say that both complement each other depending on the individual needs at the point in time.
This post is in response to the #HiveLearners community contest on the topic titled, Government Owned Vs. Private Owned
All images are mine
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