Aisha Buhari to lawmakers: Support NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers

First Lady Aisha Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday appealed to federal and state legislators to make provision of drugs as well as other medical consumables and logistics for the National Youths Service Corps Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) as part of their constituency projects.

She spoke at the launch of the first quarter 2022 edition of the HIRD and the inauguration of the mobile clinic.

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Represented by the wife of a former governor of Nasarawa State, Mairo Almakura, she said the initiative would boost the healthcare services which the NYSC renders to the lawmakers’ constituents, thereby enhancing their overall wellbeing and productivity.

She reiterated her commitment to eradicating maternal and newborn mortality as well as avoidable morbidity arising from preventable causes such as obstructed labour, blood loss, and high blood pressure, among others.

“I wish to emphasize the need for programmes of the NYSC that are targeted at improving the lives of Nigerians, including its rural health programme, the HIRD, to be strengthened through the goodwill and support of all well-meaning citizens. 

 “This informed my decision to donate the mobile clinic to the scheme. I would like to assure that our moral and material support for NYSC will be sustained for the benefit of the citizenry. 

“As a mother, I remain committed to any cause that will help in the reduction, if not total eradication, of maternal and newborn mortality as well as avoidable morbidity arising from preventable causes such as obstructed labour, blood loss, high blood pressure amongst others,” she said.

She called on all players in the health sector to redouble their efforts towards providing safe and free medical care to all and sundry.

She assured that the Federal Government would continue to provide leadership and clear roadmaps in that direction.

NYSC Director-General, Major-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, noted that the HIRD was introduced in 2014 as a platform to complement the government’s efforts in the provision of free and quality healthcare services to Nigerians, especially the indigent members of the rural communities. 

He said since its commencement, over four million rural dwellers had been reached in communities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. 

He said in the course of the implementation of the initiative, the NYSC had enjoyed the support of some government agencies, non-governmental organizations and philanthropists through the supply of drugs and other medical consumables. 

Ibrahim said the initiative brought together corps medical doctors, optometrists, pharmacists, nurses and other health specialists for medical outreaches that usually featured sensitization on health matters, free consultation, diagnosis, treatment and referral.