The governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has called on corporate bodies and institutions to support government at all levels to provide qualitative health care for all Nigerians.
The governor made the call at Odode in Idanre local government area of the state where he flagged off the first quarter of 2024 NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers, HIRD, programme.
Aiyedatiwa, declared that it was a huge task for the government, whether at the local, state or even federal level to provide or achieve all her lofty programmes for the people completely, especially in view of the dwindling financial resources occasioned by the global economy.
He praised the management of the NYSC, saying that scheme had gone a step further from her primary responsibility of integrating and uniting the country.
“It is a pleasant relief when support or partnerships such as this is being provided for by the NYSC. Our belief is that the Scheme is exceeding its primary mandate which is to practically impact the rural communities who overall, constitute majority population of the nation; to integrate our great country into one indivisible entity thereby promoting unity and oneness.”
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The governor who was represented by the Director, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mrs. Catherine Olukemi Okukpe, said that the government and people of Ondo State appreciated the gesture which was seen as an extension of the government policy on healthcare for all and sundry.
In her introductory speech, the coordinator of NYSC, Ondo State, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani, said that the management decided to support the government in her quest to achieve ‘Health for all’ by year 2030 in line with one of the focal programmes of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.
Ani said that to achieve the move, the Director General massively mobilised volunteer corps medical personnel to the rural areas nationwide to provide free qualitative health services to indigent citizens and residents who ordinarily would not have been able to access medical attention as a result of neglect and remoteness of their location.
She encouraged them to feel free and discuss any of their confidential health related challenges with the corps medical personnel who would be attending to them, assuring them that their classified information would remain confidential.
Ani thanked the Owa of Idanre-in-Council for mobilising beneficiaries to the programme as well as the local government for the logistical support.
The goodwill message from the local government was read by the Head, Local Government Administration, Mr. Ojomo Adeyemi, while that of Owa of Idanre Kingdom, Dr. Frederick Adegunle Aroloye, was delivered by High Chief Lomofe Odeyemi.
