Nigeria’s First lady, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned an ultra-modern mobile clinic for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to assist in the provision of health care to the rural communities.
At the flag-off of the first quarter 2022 NYSC Health Initiative For Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme and inauguration of NYSC ultra-modern mobile clinic at Kpaduma 11 Guzape district, Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, Aisha appealed to federal and state legislators to include the provision of drugs and other medical consumables and logistics for the NYSC Health Initiative for rural dwellers as part of their constituency projects.
Represented by the wife of former governor of Nasarawa State, Dr. Mairo Almakura, Aisha said the event is a significant step forward in the health initiative of the NYSC, which has the same goals as her “Future Assured programme.”
While reiterating her commitment to any cause that will help in the reduction of maternal and newborn mortality as well as avoidable morbidity arising from preventable causes, she said “This will boost the healthcare services which the Scheme renders to their constituents, thereby enhancing their overall wellbeing and productivity.
“It is my ardent hope that philanthropic individuals and corporate bodies will also take a cue from us by supporting this and other laudable programmes of the NYSC. I also call on other government agencies, private organizations and philanthropists to take a cut from the Scheme by adopting this approach to delivery of free and quality health services to the people
“I want to equally use this opportunity to call on all players in the health sector to redouble their efforts at providing safe and free medical care to all and sundry. I have no doubt that the Federal Government will continue to provide leadership and clear roadmaps in that direction, especially as we aim to attain Goal-3 of the Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Well-being.”
She commended the director general and the Management of the NYSC for the great work they are doing especially through the harnessing of the enormous potentials of the youths for the socio-economic progress of the country.
“I am confident that the Government will continue to take advantage of the capability and wide reach of the Scheme in our continuous quest for national unity, integration and development.
“I therefore appeal to public spirited individuals and organizations to support the efforts of the NYSC through similar interventions to the Scheme for a greater impact of this and other laudable programmes,” she added.
Free quality health care services
On his part, the Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Major General Shuaibu Ibrahim said the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers was introduced in 2014 as a platform for the Scheme to complement the efforts of the government in the provision of free and quality health care services to Nigerians, especially the indigent members of the rural communities.
He commended the first lady for the gesture and called on other public spirited individuals and organizations to emulate the First Lady by extending technical, material and financial support for the smooth and wider execution of the NYSC rural health initiative.
“While we remain committed to the sustenance of the HIRD and enhancing its impact on the target beneficiaries, I wish to inform this distinguished audience that these will require increased deployment of logistics for its smooth execution.
“This is one of the reasons we are advocating the establishment of the NYSC Trust Fund. If established, the Fund will enable us to provide essential facilities such as additional Mobile Clinics, equipment as well as adequate drugs and other medical consumables.”
He also said that it will make the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme (SAED)
more functional through the provision of adequate training facilities as well as start-up financing for the young entrepreneurs that will emerge from the programme.
He noted that the beneficiaries will in turn employ or step down vocational trainings to millions of other Nigerian youths, thereby contributing to the accelerated growth of the nation’s economy.
Bill for the establishment of Trust fund
With the public hearing on the Bill for the establishment of the Trust Fund slated for Thursday, 24th February, 2022, at the House of Representatives, the Director-General called on Nigerians
from all segments of the society, including academics, media practitioners, civil society activists, students, as well as other youth-friendly individuals and groups to appear before the House Committee on Youths and Sports on the scheduled date and drum support for the Bill.
Emmanuel Ukoh
