Akpan Umoh, Uyo
More than 1000 residents of Ibesikpo community in Ibesikpo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom will benefit from medical services provided by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The Scheme, known as NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (NYSC-HIRD) was flag-off by the State Coordinator, Mrs Chinyere Ekwe on behalf of the Director General of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Shauibu Ibrahim, at Ibesikpo on Monday and to last for one week.
Ibrahim in his address said that the gesture became necessary for the purpose of strengthening the national unity and integration.
He said that the platform provides opportunity to touch the lives of the people in the community particularly, the indigent persons.
“Driven by our determination to deepen the impact of our healthcare services, Management launch the NYSC-HIRD in 2014.
“It is a platform for contributions toward improving the well-being of persons at the grassroot by granting them to free and qualitative healthcare.
“The programme is largely implemented through medical outreach in communities across the country during which Corps Medical Volunteers carryout diagnosis; treatment, including minor medical procedures and referral of patients.
“Drugs, eyeglasses and other consumables are given to patients free of charge. I am pleased to report that, so far, over two million persons have been attended to by the NYSC medical team on the HIRD platform,” Ibrahim said.
The Director-General called on Cooperate organisations and philanthropists across the country to support the setting up of mobile clinic for wider outreach, donating drugs and other consumables.
Speaking with journalists, one of the beneficiaries, Mrs Justina Etuk, commended NYSC for coming to her medical rescue.
Etuk described the outreach as apt and beneficial to the community, especially, those who could not afford money to pay medical bills.
Another beneficiary, Mr Michael Asuquo, thanked NYSC for coming to the area for the first time to render free medical services to the people.