The Ondo State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani, has stated that one of the goals of the scheme is to ensure that quality healthcare services is provided for all Nigerians and its residents.
Ani stated while flagging-off the third quarter Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers, HIRD, programme held at Asewele Oja community in Odigbo local government area of Ondo State.
The NYSC Ondo State boss who was represented by an Assistant Director/Head, Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, Mr. Olugbenga Justus Adefehinti, posited that HIRD was a programme organised for promoting the well-being of people at the grassroots level wherein competent corps medical volunteers and other allied health professionals rendered free medical services to the people.
“I am happy to flag-off this programme today and I wish to let you know that we are committed to giving qualitative medicare and health services to not only Nigerian citizens but residents, through our professionally articulated HIRD programme to complement the efforts of government at all levels.”
She averred that the government, whether at the local, state or federal Level may not completely have the wherewithal to provide or achieve all its lofty programmes for the people at the same time in view of the limited financial resources.
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That, she said, made the NYSC scheme to provide a partnership drive in that direction.
“Our belief is that NYSC Scheme is reaching beyond its primary mandate, which is to practically impact the rural communities, which over time constitute majority of the population of the nation in integrating our great country into one indivisible entity while promoting unity and oneness”.
According to her, the Director General of the scheme, in his aspiration to reposition the scheme and be a frontliner to address the numerous hazards occasioned by health challenge, commenced the programme in which corps medical personnel nationwide were massively mobilised for the national assignment.
“Distinguished guests, I therefore beseech the community dwellers and its environs to seize this golden opportunity and improve their health status, which will drastically reduce all cases of avoidable deaths among them and also enhance healthy living”.
In his goodwill message, Oba (Dr.) Solomon Aderemi Adejayan, the Oworofun of Lapahun Kingdom, enlightened the people of his town to refrain from listening to misleading rumours making rounds that beneficiaries of free medical services might be injected with deadly and poisonous vaccines.
The monarch encouraged his subjects and people of adjoining communities to take advantage of the selfless service of the NYSC initiative to improve on their health status.
In her opening remarks, the Assistant Director/Head, Community Development Service (CDS) Branch, Mrs. Martha Ihenyen, asserted that NYSC remained one of the government agencies that prioritised the development of the nation through involvement in rural infrastructures and provision of health care services.
She thanked everyone that had supported the initiative and called for more support and collaboration from well-meaning philanthropists and non-governmental organisations.
