NYSC deploys 50 medical personnel for 1,000 rural dwellers in Gombe
Chima Azubuike, Gombe
No fewer than 50 medical personnel have been deployed by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), to participate in the Nationwide Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers in Gombe.
The medical corps personnel are expected to provide health support to 1,000 indigent rural Dwellers in Kwadon, Yalmatu Deba Local Government in collaboration with the State Primary HealthCare Development Agency.
Speaking at the commencement of the week long programme, Dr. Ezisere Stephen, from Delta State, with Place of Primary Assignment (PPA), at Gombe Specialist Hospital, said his team would fill the noticed shortfall and provide basic health services to poor rural dwellers.
Stephen said, “If you look behind you, you will see a number of corps members that are here. NYSC as a platform has given us the opportunity and privilege to reach out to diverse of social class.
“Most of the beneficiaries are indigent and can’t afford most of the things we are giving to them.
“We have diverse professionals here the doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, medical laboratory scientists, nutritionists and a whole lot more.
“We have nothing less than 50 personnel on ground, all from different backgrounds.”
Also, State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Ada Imoni, revealed to Punch Healthwise that the intervention is geared towards bridging noticeable gaps in health services.
Imoni said, “This is like a medical intervention to the rural dwellers the gap between rural dwellers and urban health initiative. So we have decided to come to the rural areas to give medical care to all the indigent people who have not been able to go to the urban areas maybe because of cost of transportation.
“This is our own way of National development by bringing the corps doctors, medical personnel here to give them free medical care. These are places that our employed doctors and pharmacists will not want to go, this is where our corps personnel will go to meet the poorest of the poor.”
Imoni noted that complicated cases would be referred to secondary, and tertiary facilities to ensure the rural dwellers are well treated.
“We treat, we refer as well as give preventive measures talk to them, we have over a 1,000 indigent people who will benefit from the treatment, even the drugs are free. If it merits us giving them the drugs we will give them at no cost at all. Most of the treatment, we will check their blood pressure, check their Eye status we have opticians, we have dentists here we will check their teeth,” Imoni said.
Speaking, Director General of NYSC, Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, said the 7 years old initiative was launched to deepen the impact of health services.
Ibrahim who was represented by Mrs Esther Kadiri noted that the scheme has recorded numerous landmark achievements in the area of National unity.
“Driven by our determination to deepen the impact of our healthcare services, management launched the NYSC-Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (NYSC-HIRD), in 2014. It is a platform for contribution towards promoting the wellbeing of indigent persons at the grassroots by granting them easier access to free and quality healthcare,” Ibrahim said.
On his part, Commissioner for Health Dr. Habu Dahiru, who was represented by Dr. Shuaibu Abdulrahaman, Executive Secretary Gombe State Primary HealthCare Development Agency, said the programme is geared towards improving access for rural dwellers.
He said, “The man objective is to bridge the gap that exists in healthcare delivery in the rural areas. The importance of this type of programme can not be overemphasized because apart from providing healthcare for the people they will also provide health education to the people. As you know over 70 percent live in the rural areas, so it is not surprising to see this number, remember it is free.”
The Emir of Yalmatu Deba, Alh. Abubakar Ali, has lauded the effort of NYSC medical corps in alleviating the suffering of his people.
Ali was represented by District head of Kwadon, Mohammed Abubakar said, “We really appreciate the support of NYSC to our community; their contributions extend to their efforts in our schools.”
