The Ondo State Government has commended the National Youth Service Corps for providing free and qualitative healthcare services to rural communities.
The Acting Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, gave the commendation while inaugurating the first quarter Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers Programme organised by the NYSC at Ipogun community in Ifedore Local Government Area, on Thursday.
Aiyedatiwa, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mrs. Foluke Tunde-Daramola, appreciated the gesture and thanked NYSC for going beyond its primary mandate of uniting the country.
He described the programme as an extension of the state government policy of healthcare for all and sundry.
He said, “Our belief is that the NYSC scheme is reaching beyond her primary mandate of integrating our great nation into one indivisible entity and to promote unity and oneness, to improve the wellbeing of citizens in rural communities.
“The state government is highly thankful to the NYSC management for supporting the sunshine state through the provision of free healthcare services for the good people of the state over the years.
“This is another step towards a more holistic contribution to the continued good health and productivity of the people of the state.”
The acting governor pledged to strengthen the partnership with NYSC and seek ways to expand its reach to enable more residents to benefit from the provision of qualitative healthcare services in the hinterlands.
In her welcome address, the NYSC State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Ani, said that the scheme decided to bring out the HIRD programme as a means to reach out to the rural dwellers, who under normal circumstances would be unable to access medical attention.
Ani disclosed that the programme, which began in 2014, was primarily aimed at mobilising volunteer corps medical personnel to rural settings to complement governments at all levels to give free and qualitative healthcare services.
The state coordinator, who was represented by the Assistant Director/Head, Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme, Mr. Olugbenga Adefehinti, said the programme was strictly for rural dwellers.
She explained that the NYSC director-general, commenced the programme as part of his aspirations to reposition the scheme, adding “and be in the vanguard to address the numerous hazards occasioned by health challenges and inadequacies”.
Ani also said corps medical personnel nationwide were massively mobilised to participate in the state HIRD exercise.
“I also want to encourage you to feel free to discuss any of your confidential health-related challenges with the corps medical personnel that will be attending to you in the course of the exercise.
“I want to assure you that the success of this programme rests on the level of cooperation from you all,” she said.
In his goodwill message, the Adapogun Oripogun of Ipogunland, Oba Raphael Ojo, enjoined his people to take advantage of the free medical services provided by the NYSC to improve on their health conditions.
The monarch reminded everyone that “going by the declaration of the World Health Organisation, no human is perfectly free of ailments”.
(NAN)
