The First lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari on Tuesday said her donation of a well-equipped mobile clinic to the Scheme is to enhance the success of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme.
This was even as the scheme’s Director General, Brigadier General Yushau Dogara disclosed that over three million Nigerians have so far benefitted from the initiative.
Speaking at the flag-off of the second quarter medical outreach, organized by the NYSC under the HIRD to commemorate its 50th Anniversary, she said the scheme has made an enormous impact, especially among rural dwellers.
She noted that the introduction of the HIRD programme has largely been successful stressing that the mobile clinic facility would continuously assist.
“As part of my Office’s appreciation, the donation of a well-equipped mobile clinic to the Scheme is to enhance the success of the Corps Medical team,” she said.
To this end, she urged management of the Scheme as well as Corps Members not to relent their efforts in promoting unity of the country by providing quality service delivery to the Nation irrespective of State or place of service.
Earlier, the DG explained that the outreach being flagged-off came just five weeks after a similar one we conducted at the IDP Centre, Malaysia Garden, Abuja, “where people came out in large numbers to receive free treatment for various medical conditions.”
He stated that other interventions such as the administration of vaccines, sensitization of the community on HIV/AIDS prevention and sanitation, among others were made.
“It is gratifying to note that Her Excellency, the First Lady, has shown more than a passing interest in the success of the HIRD. We are still relishing her benevolence in donating this high-capacity ultra-modern mobile clinic that is deployed here today.
“I am pleased to report that the facility, which was handed over to the Scheme a year ago, has greatly enhanced the efficiency of our health interventions,” he added.
On her part, the Chairman, NYSC National Governing Board Ambassador Fatima Balla Abubakar added that the HIRD programme was launched in 2014 with a view to ameliorating the difficulties faced by indigent Nigerians, especially the rural dwelling ones, in accessing quality health care.
“It is implemented through well planned medical outreaches with special focus on rural areas. Available records have shown that the programme, which is carried out every quarter of the year in all the States of the Federation and the FCT, has brought succor to over four million beneficiaries, who could not have afforded medical bills,” she noted.
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