NYSC PROVIDES FREE MEDICARE TO OVER A MILLION PERSONS
By Jethro Yerga, Jalingo
The Community Development Service Platform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), through its Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) program, has provided free medical care to over two million people across the thirty six states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Director General, NYSC Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim disclosed this in Jalingo during the flag off of the HIRD program at Wuro Sembe Community of Jalingo Local Government, Taraba State.
The Brigadier General who was represented by the state coordinator Mr. Anthony Nzoka stated that in addition to free treatment of patients, the HIRD medical outreach with the support of partners, had donated over three hundred wheel chairs, eye glasses and other medical consumables to patients free of charge.
He noted that the program which has been in operation since 2014, also goes along with sensitization of community members on disease prevention and care.
According to him, the 2021 HIRD centrally coordinated medical outreach with the theme Health is Wealth for Advancement was taking place simultaneously in all states of the federation and the federal capital Territory and would last for one week.
The Brigadier General noted that each NYSC State Secretariat would mobilize the corps medical Team to conduct follow up outreach on quarterly bases with a view to increasing access for the benefitting communities.
While appreciating the impacts NYSC has made on the general wellbeing of the people in the country, the coordinator said the health intervention of NYSC Scheme through the HIRD and other platforms has made enormous impact such as contribution to the improvement of reproductive health, reduction of maternal and infant mortality as well as maintenance and improvement of health infrastructure.
The state coordinator, Mr. Tony Nzoka in his speech, revealed that Taraba State NYSC Secretariat had already mobilized Doctors, Pharmacists, Nurses and other medical personnel to provide consultancy, testing, screening and other health services to members of the Wuro Sembe community in particular and Taraba State in general.
He said the choice of Wuro Sembe was informed by the fact that it is a densely populated agrarian rural community in Jalingo LGA
Nzoka noted that the program resonates with the vision of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Taraba State Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku to take health care services to the door steps of rural indigents through the special model of mobile health clinic as an avenue to bring the dividends of democracy and good governance to the grass root.
The coordinator called on residents of Wuro Sembe in particular and Taraba State in general to make good use of the opportunity and access free and quality health care services provided by corps health professionals during the exercise.
Earlier in his good will message, the chairman, Jalingo LGA Hon. Abdulnasir Bobboji commended the NYSC on the initiative, describing it as a veritable means of bridging gaps in health care delivery especially for rural indigent dwellers who find it difficult to access regular quality health care services.
He also reiterated his call for the continuation of the NYSC, lauding the numerous achievements of the scheme through community development in various sectors over the years.
Highlights of the program were a rally held to create awareness on the outreach as well as a health sensitization by corps doctors to beneficiaries.
