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The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says it is targeting 1,000 patients for free medical treatment at Dumurkol District in Mai’adua Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.
The NYSC Coordinator in Katsina, Alhaji Ahidjo Yahaya, disclosed this while inaugurating the exercise on Monday at Dumurkol District of Daura Emirate.
According to him, the exercise is under the second phase of the scheme’s programme tagged: “Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD)’’.
“We are here in Dumukur to deliver the dividends of democracy through the discharge of the scheme’s responsibility of giving back to the people, especially at the rural areas.
“This initiative was aimed at assisting the less privileged people that have different kinds of sickness, but do not have the financial backing.
“We have qualified medical personnel on ground to attend to the patients for their various kinds of sickness. Some of you have health problems, but you don’t know.
“Therefore, this medical outreach will give you the opportunity to know your health problem so that you can handle it before it becomes serious,’’ the coordinator said.
He further called on the beneficiaries to feel free and present themselves to the medical personnel to check their health, urging them not to hide their problems.
“During the five days we are spending for the exercise, we are also going to offer free guidance and counseling services on HIV/AIDs, hepatitis and other related matters,” he said.
The coordinator further appealed to wealthy individuals, corporate organisations and companies to donate to the scheme so that they could freely treat more people in the society.
Speaking on behalf of the Emir of Daura, Dr Umar Faruq, the District Head of Mai’adua, Alhaji Ahmed Didderi, commended the NYSC for the initiative.
He said the gesture came at the right time when Harmattan season is approaching, saying during the season many people experience one kind of sickness or the other.
“It is something that we have been looking for, and we have it now. Therefore we should use the opportunity properly for our benefit,’’ the Emir said.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Head of Administration, Mai’adua LGA, Alhaji Nasir Zubairu, said the outreach was not restricted for the people of Dumurkol alone, but also the neighbouring communities.
Represented by the Director Primary Health Care of the LGA, Alhaji Ahmed Murtal, Zubairu said during the previous exercise, even people from Niger Republic benefited.
He, therefore, assured the NYSC that the LGA would ensure that only the less privileged will benefit from the gesture, especially those across the 13 communities in the district.
(NAN)
