Education

NYSC Ondo boss flags off health initiative for rural dwellers

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2 years ago

The Ondo State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs Victoria Nnenna Ani has flagged off the third quarter Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme at the Asewele Oja community in Odigbo Local Government area of the State.

According to the NYSC boss, one of the visions of the laudable Scheme is to ensure that quality healthcare services are provided for all Nigerians and its residents.

The NYSC Ondo coordinator who was represented by an Assistant Director/Head, Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, Mr Olugbenga Justus Adefehinti posited that HIRD is a programme organised for promoting the well-being of people at the grassroots level wherein competent corps medical volunteers and other allied health professionals render 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 and this has made the NYSC Scheme to provide a partnership drive in this direction.

“Our belief is that NYSC Scheme is reaching beyond its primary mandate, which is to practically impact the rural communities, who 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 frontline to address the numerous hazards occasioned by health challenges, commenced the programme in which corps medical personnel nationwide are 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,” she added.

In his goodwill message, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Solomon Aderemi Adejayan, the Oworofun of Lapahun Kingdom enlightened his townspeople to refrain from listening to misleading rumours making rounds that beneficiaries of free medical services may be injected with deadly and poisonous vaccines.

“I want to appeal to you all that NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) is meant to complement Government’s drive at providing basic medical and health services to Nigerians and not reducing the population as is usually being peddled by ill-informed and mischief makers. NYSC is a credible Government agency that is admired to mould our youths to become better leaders in society.”

The monarch encouraged his subjects and people of adjoining communities to take advantage of the selfless service of the NYSC initiative to improve their health status.

The HIRD programme is a quarterly event where NYSC in all the states of the federation mobilises corps medical personnel and allied professionals to give free medical services to rural and community dwellers.

In her opening remarks, the Assistant Director/Head, Community Development Service (CDS) Branch, Mrs. Martha Ihenyen asserted that NYSC remains one of the Government agencies that prioritise the development of the nation through involvement in rural infrastructures and provision of health care services.

She thanked everyone that has supported the initiative and called for more support and collaboration from well-meaning philanthropists and Non-Governmental Organisations.

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