Nigeria First Lady, Dr (Mrs) Aisha Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the NYSC Ultra-Modern Mobile Clinic that she donated to the Scheme during the official flag-off of First Quarter 2022 NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers held today at Kpaduma II Guzape, Abuja.
She said she had observed with great admiration, the critical roles the NYSC played in the efforts to contain the COVID-19 Pandemic, especially in the heat of the scourge in 2020.
Aisha Buhari added that the interventions of Corps Medical Personnel who joined other frontline health workers, as well as thousands of other Corps Members that produced and distributed items such as face masks, hand sanitizer, liquid soap, food and other palliatives further underscored the relevance of the Scheme and heightened the nation’s hope in its youths.
“Today’s event is a significant step forward in the health initiative of the NYSC, which has the same goals as my Future Assured programme.
Indeed, our numerous interventions greatly complement the efforts of the Federal Government in the delivery of quality health services to Nigerians, especially the indigent members of our rural communities.
I wish to emphasize the need for programmes of the NYSC that are targeted at improving the lives of Nigerians, including its rural health programme, the HIRD, to be strengthened through the goodwill and support of all well meaning citizens. This informed my decision to donate the mobile clinic to the Scheme. I would like to assure that our moral and material support for the NYSC will be sustained for the benefit of the citizenry”, She said.
Aisha Buhari, who was represented at the event by Dr (Mrs) Tanko Al-makura reiterated her commitment to any cause that will help in the reduction, if not total eradication, of maternal and newborn mortality, as well as avoidable morbidity arising from preventable causes such as obstructed labour, blood loss, high blood pressure, amongst others.
She used the forum to appeal to all Federal and State Legislators to include the provision of drugs, medical consumables and logistics for the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers as part of their constituency projects, adding that it would boost the healthcare services which the Scheme renders to their constituents, thereby enhancing their overall well-being and productivity.
The First Lady also called on philanthropists, corporate bodies and government agencies to support other laudable programmes of the NYSC in order to deliver free and quality health services to the people.
“Let me use this occasion to laud the various policies and programmes of the Federal Government aimed at improving the well-being of Nigerians. 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”, Aisha Buhari said.
Speaking further, she commended the NYSC Management for the great work it is doing, especially harnessing the enormous potentials of graduate 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”, she noted.
NYSC Director-General, Major General Shuaibu lbrahim in his welcome address said that the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers was introduced in 2014 as a platform for the Scheme to complement the efforts of Government in the provision of free and quality health care services to Nigerians, especially the indigent members in rural communities.
He stated that since its commencement, over four million rural dwellers have been reached in communities across the thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“The programme brings together Corps Medical Doctors, Optometrists, Pharmacists, Nurses and other health specialists for medical outreaches that usually feature sensitization on health matters, free consultation, diagnosis, treatment and referrals.
“In the course of the programme implementation, we have enjoyed the support of some Government Agencies, non-governmental organizations and philanthropists through the supply of drugs and other medical consumables”, Ibrahim stated.
He commended the First Lady for the donation of the NYSC Mobile Clinic, saying it is another significant step in her unrelenting efforts to contribute to the well-being of the ordinary citizens, especially women and children, as eloquently illustrated through the activities of her pet project, “The Future Assured”.
“With this gesture, our resolve to mobilize the young men and women of the Service Corps for humanitarian activities has been further strengthened, and the impact of our healthcare services to the rural poor, in particular, will be deepened.”
On behalf of the Scheme, General Ibrahim promised judicious utilization of the medical facility for the benefit of Nigerians, while he 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.
The Director-General also reiterated his advocacy for the establishment of NYSC Trust Fund, which would enable the Scheme provide essential facilities such as additional mobile clinics, medical equipment, as well as adequate drugs and other medical consumables for the benefit of the citizenry.
“It will also make our Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme (SAED) more functional through the provision of adequate training facilities and start-up financing for the young entrepreneurs that will emerge from the programme.
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.
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, I call on Nigerians from all segments of the society, including academia, 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.
I also wish to once again make a passionate appeal to the appropriate authorities to facilitate all other processes for the actualization of the Trust Fund”, the Director-General said.
There were goodwill messages from the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals, Princess Orelope Adejoke- Adefulire, NYSC National Governing Board Chairman, Ambassador Fatima Bala Abubakar and Dr Ezikeanyi Sampson, who represented other collaborating partners of the Scheme.