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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The wife of the President, Aisha Buhari, has donated a well-equipped mobile clinic to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to boost its Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme.
Speaking at the official flag-off of the First Quarter 2022 NYSC HIRD programme, she promised that moral and material support for NYSC will be sustained for the benefit of the citizenry, commending the critical roles NYSC played in the efforts to contain the COVID-19 Pandemic, especially in the heat of the scourge in 2020.
Former First Lady of Nasarawa State, Maro Al-Makura, who represented Mrs Buhari, spoke on Tuesday at inauguration of the mobile clinic at Kpaduma 11, Guzape District.
“Today, this laudable programme will also be receiving a boost with the launch of a well equipped, high capacity ambulance that will be operated as NYSC Mobile Clinic. Today’s event is a significant step forward in the health initiative of the NYSC, which has the same goals as my Future Assured Programme,” she stated.
“Indeed, our numerous interventions greatly complement the efforts of the federal government in the delivery of quality health services to Nigerians, especially indigent members of our rural communities. Like other Nigerians, I observed with great admiration, the critical roles the NYSC played in the efforts to contain the COVID-19 Pandemic, especially in the heat of the scourge in 2020.
“The interventions of Corps Medical Personnel who joined other frontline health workers as well as thousands of other Corps members that produced and distributed items such as face masks, hand sanitiser, liquid soap, food and other palliatives further underscored the relevance of the Scheme and heightened our hopes in the nation’s youths.
“I wish to emphasise the need for programmes of the NYSC that are targeted at improving the lives of Nigerians, including its rural health programme, the HIRD, to be strengthened through the goodwill and support of all well-meaning citizens.
“This informed my decision to donate the Mobile Clinic to the Scheme. I would like to assure you that our moral and material support for NYSC will be sustained for the benefit of the citizenry. As a mother. I remain committed to any cause that will help in the reduction, if not total eradication, of maternal and newborn mortality as well as avoidable morbidity arising from preventable causes such as obstructed labour, blood loss, high blood pressure amongst others,” she noted.
Earlier speaking during the flag-off ceremony, the Director-General of NYSC, Majar-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, advocated for the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund.
He argued that if established, “the Fund will enable the scheme provide essential facilities such as additional Mobile Clinics, equipment as well as adequate drugs and other medical consumables.
“NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers was introduced in 2014 as a platform for the Scheme to complement the efforts of the government in the provision of free and quality health care services to Nigerians, especially the indigent members of our rural communities.
“The programme brings together Corps Medical Doctors, Optometrists, Pharmacists, Nurses and other health specialists for medical outreaches that usually feature sensitisation on health matters, free consultation, diagnosis, treatment and referral. Since its commencement, over four million rural dwellers have been reached in communities across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory.
“While we remain committed to the sustenance of the HIRD and enhancing its impact on the target beneficiaries, I wish to inform this distinguished audience that these will require the increased deployment of logistics for its smooth execution. This is one of the reasons we are advocating the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund. If established, the Fund will enable us to provide essential facilities such as additional Mobile Clinics, equipment as well as adequate drugs and other medical consumables.
“As I have said on other occasions, it will also make our Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme (SAED) more functional through the provision of adequate training facilities as well as start-up financing for the young entrepreneurs that will emerge from the programme.
“The beneficiaries will in turn employ or step down vocational training to millions of other Nigerian youths, thereby contributing to the accelerated growth of the nation’s economy. With the public hearing on the Bill for the establishment of the Trust Fund slated for Thursday, February 24, 2022, at the House of Representatives,” he announced.
