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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, has demanded an appropriate healthcare system for the rural dwellers.
He said that people must have access to proper health care to stay fit and healthy to operate for development to occur in any society.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday at the flag-off ceremony of the NYSC Special Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD), General Ahmed lamented that it was unfortunate that most people in the rural areas do not have access to proper health care which was not good for a society.
Represented by the the scheme’s Director, Ventures Department, Prince Mohammed Momoh, the DG said that the health initiative was brought to the doorsteps of the people so that they could have access to free and proper healthcare.
He maintained that; “the scheme partners with various stakeholders in the healthcare sector to mobilize and deploy the expertise of Corps medical personnels such as doctors, pharmacists, nurses, laboratory scientist among others for the initiative.”
“The initiative was an opportunity for the scheme to contribute its quota to addressing the healthcare challenges of Nigerians across all rural communities in the country.
“The action has created an opportunity for millions of rural dwellers to access free medical services at their door steps, thereby rescuing them from unpleasant health conditions,” General Ahmed said.
Similarly, Director, Community Development Service and Special projects (CDS and SP), Hajiya Zainab Isah, affirmed that thousands of people from various rural areas across the country have benefitted from the initiative.
She said that corps members have also launched campaigns in the mitigation of malaria, HIV/AIDS prevention, Guineaworm eradication, immunisation against measles, polio vaccines and contributed significantly in curtailing COVlD-19 pandemic.
“The scheme’s bold determination to making meaningful impact in healthcare delivery commenced with the launch of HIRD in 2014 geared towards improving and promoting the wellbeing of rural dwellers. The Mobile Clinic initiative was launched in 2022 and tagged NYSC Mobile Healthcare Intervention,” she said.
Speaking to newsmen, Etsu of Piwoyi, Mr. Tanko Lazarus Bahago said the hardship in the country has made it difficult for people of the community to access proper health care.
He said the only clinic in the community has only one bed and no healthcare personnel to attend to the people who were brought in for treatment, hence the need for the government to help in upgrading the clinic.
Appreciating NYSC for introducing the free healthcare initiative to their community, he said pregnant women, children would now have access to free and proper healthcare.
He disclosed that the community has 5000 people and they were mostly farmers.
