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From TCNEWS

National Youth Service Corps, Abia State has extended the Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme to Amibo Community, Umuahia South Local Government Area, where indigenes were offered free medical care by Corps Medical Personnel.

The programme which is an initiative of the Scheme to bring free medical care services to the doorsteps of the rural dwellers and the indigent has been complementing the efforts of the three tiers of Government in the area of health care services.

Flagging off the HIRD2023, 2nd quarter at Amibo Town hall, the NYSC Abia State Coordinator, Mrs Dick-Iruenabere Ufuoma described the programme as remarkable, happening at a time in NYSC history when the scheme is celebrating her 50th anniversary.

She disclosed that in the last 50 years, the NYSC has vigorously pursued its mandates to impact positively on the lives of their host communities, hence, the HIRD has a core responsibility of mobilising Corps Medical Personnel in the provision of health interventions ranging from diagnosis, treatment, referrals and proper preventive mechanisms, thereby enhancing the general wellbeing of rural dwellers across the length and breadth of the state.

Her words, “The youthfulness of our Corps Members shall be harnessed during this programme, to attend to your  health needs.

“Our Corps Medical Personnel would work as health intervention agents towards the success of this programme.

“May I at this juncture state that, for the sustainance of this laudable NYSC health programme, we need the support of critical stakeholders, well meaning Abians and donor agencies etc in the supply of drugs and equipment towards continuous hosting of this free medical outreach. As a scheme ours is to provide the skilled manpower to attend to the health needs of these ones.

“It is my hope that our efforts in enhancing the quality of life of our dear people in the grassroots through this programme will endure and be sustained as a pilot initiative in Rural Health”.

Dick-Iruenabere reminded the community that the programme was designed for the benefit of all and sundry, hence the need for them to take ownership of it, adding, “We in the NYSC would be pleased when we look back and watch what we have sown today blossom into an enduring and sustainable entity for the benefit of all in this community”.

The Abia NYSC Coordinator seized the opportunity to passionately appeal to all well meaning Nigerians to support the initiative of NYSC geared towards imparting positively on the health needs of our rural dwellers, as the scheme is fully prepared to make adequate use of the abundant skilled human resources at its disposal to improve the quality of life of the people.

In their appreciations, the Secretary to the Abia State Government, Mr. Chris Ezem; Transition Committee Chairman of Umuahia South L.G.A, Chief Kelechi Aguiyi represented by the Secretary of the Local Government, Mr. Obinna Ibezim; Wife of the Umuahia South Transition Committee Chairman, Mrs Chizaram Aguiyi; traditional ruler of Amibo Community, Eze Marcus Onyebuchi Ukandu represented by the Traditional Prime Minister, High Chief Bernard Chukwu commended the National Youth Service Corps at 50, saying that the objective of which the scheme was set up is still important, adding that NYSC remains the only tool that sustains a peaceful and united Nigeria.

They appreciated the Scheme for initiating such a laudable programme which is geared towards impacting positively in the lives of the people.

Some of the beneficiaries of the medical outreach who include: Mrs Queen Joseph; Mrs Joy Chikezie among others, commended the NYSC for the exercise and equally appealed that the HIRD programme should be sustained so that it would minimize the rate at which rural dwellers run to the cities for treatments while avoidable deaths could also be prevented. 

Recall that the NYSC had on Tuesday staged a unity walk in the State as part of the activities to mark the 50th anniversary of the scheme.

The event saw the corps members walked through the major streets of Umuahia in their large numbers, beginning from the NYSC Secretariat on St. Finbarrs Road and terminating at the Government House.

The elated corps members were chanting different songs and danced to the music provided by some band boys.

Some of the large-size banners and placards they carried read: “NYSC for rural development”, “NYSC unlocking potentials with ICT”, “Say no to cultism, say no to drugs”, among others.

Mrs Ufuoma Dick-Iruenabere, the state Coordinator of the scheme, who spoke during the event, said that the walk was to kick-start the week-long celebration of the scheme’s achievements in its 50 years of existence.

She informed that the scheme was celebrating its achievements in the areas of intervention in education, agriculture, healthcare service delivery, skill acquisition and enterpreneurship development and sensitisation, amongst others.

Dick-Iruenabere said, “For us, the NYSC is helping the government to scale up development and economic growth indicators in the rural areas”.

The Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu who received the corps members at the Government House,  congratulated the NYSC on the occasion of its golden jubilee, while appreciating the scheme for making enormous contributions to the nation’s growth and development in the last 50 years.

Ikpeazu, represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Charles Esonu, said, “The scheme has developed itself over the years to meet new challenges, thereby becoming the leading light of youth organisation, not only in Nigeria but also in Africa”.

It is on record that NYSC with the motto: “Service and humility,” was established in 1973 by the Yakubu Gowon administration.