The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Health Initiative to Rural Dwellers (HIRD) has benefited over 3 million Nigerians, the Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Ahmed has stated.
Ahmed stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at flag-off of special medical outreaches under the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) in Jahi 11 village, Abuja, organized as part of activities to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Scheme.
The Director General further noted that, since its establishment five decades ago, the National Youth Service Corps has remained an enduring platform for the mobilization of human and material resources for the actualization of the Nigeria of our dream.
He described the Scheme as a catalyst of Nigeria’s socio-cultural, political and economic development.
His words: “Like other developing countries, Nigeria faces challenges in its health sector, but concerted efforts are being made by various stakeholders, including the NYSC, with a view to making the system more functional.
“As a Scheme that has continued to expand its frontiers in the delivery of services to Nigerians, NYSC launched its Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme in 2014. It is a platform through which Corps medical personnel comprising Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses, and Dentists, amongst others, provide free and quality health care for the people, especially the rural poor.
“I am pleased to report that, so far, over three million Nigerians have benefitted from this initiative. The outreach being flagged-off today comes just five weeks after a similar one we conducted at the IDP Centre, Malaysia Garden, Abuja, where people came out in large numbers to receive free treatment for various medical conditions. We made other special interventions such as the administration of vaccines, sensitization of the community on HIV/AIDS prevention and sanitation, among others.
“It is gratifying to note that Her Excellency, the First Lady, has shown more than a passing interest in the success of the HIRD. We are still relishing her benevolence in donating this high-capacity ultra-modern mobile clinic that is deployed here today. I am pleased to report that the facility, which was handed over to the Scheme a year ago, has greatly enhanced the efficiency of our health interventions.”
According to Ahmed, the scheme will not relent in sustaining the initiative to ensure more Nigerian especially rural dwellers benefited.
The Chairman, NYSC National Governing Board Ambassador Fatima Balla Abubakar in her remarks noted that available records have shown that the programme, which is carried out every quarter of the year in all the States of the Federation and the FCT, has brought succour to over four million beneficiaries, who could not have afforded medical bills.
“This special edition of the HIRD is organized in further demonstration of the commitment of the Scheme to putting smiles on the faces of Nigerians, and a reflection of its relevance in the trajectory of nation building.”
She also commended the NYSC Management, the supervising officials and the Corps medical personnel for sustaining this laudable initiative.
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 Health Initiative to Rural Dwellers (HIRD) has benefited over 3 million Nigerians, the Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Ahmed has stated.){kind=link}