By Blessing Odega
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has commenced two days free medical outreach in Amper-West community, Mangu Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau.
Mr Jonathan Yavala, NYSC State Coordinator, said at the commencement of the outreach on Wednesday that the essence of the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD), was to ensure quality health care delivery to rural dwellers.
“This initiative which commenced in 2014, was designed to enhance access to quality healthcare service delivery in hard-to-reach areas and rural communities.
“It aims to promote the well-being of indigent persons at the grassroots by granting them easier access to free and quality healthcare,” he said.
The coordinator also explained that the outreach was opened to more than 1000 members of the community, adding that there would also be free health awareness talks and senisitisation.
He said there would be diagnoses for ailments such as hypertension, hepatitis B and C, diabetes and malaria, among others.
Yavala further disclosed that children would also be dewormed during the outreach.
According to him, any ailment that can not be handled by the corps’ medical team will be referred to a hospital for proper management.
He called on members of the community to avail themselves of the free medical interventions.
Yavala expressed regrets that though the scheme had sufficient human resources to reach out to many Nigerians, it was, however, constrained by logistics and material resources challenges.
He appealed to governments at all levels, corporate organisations, and wealthy individuals to join hands with the scheme in enhancing free healthcare delivery to many indigents and rural dwellers in the country.
The District Head of Amper-West, Da Pius Mutla, commended NYSC for bringing the free medical outreach to their domain.
Mutla, who was represented by Mr Gaius Sarpiya-Bayara, said the outreach would significantly address the health challenges of the people by helping them access quality healthcare services without spending money on that.
Some of beneficiaries ,who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), were elated over the free medical outreach.
Mr Ju’an Moses thanked the NYSC for conducting the outreach, which helped him know his current health status without incurring any bills or going to the hospital.
Similarly, Mr Daniel Renkat commended the NYSC for the outreach and appealed to the government to replicate sane, especially for those in the rural areas. NAN
