NYSC offers free medical services to displaced persons in Borno

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on Wednesday began free medical treatment to persons displaced by insurgency in Borno.

The State Coordinator of the scheme, Mr Nura Umar, disclosed this during the inauguration of the exercise at the NYSC Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp, Maiduguri.

Umar disclosed that the scheme had adopted effective modalities to facilitate medical outreach and other interventions in areas of education, empowerment and protection to the IDPs and host communities in the state.

He explained that free medical treatment and other support services would be provided under its Community Development Service (CDS).

The coordinator added that the CDS was one of the cardinal objectives of the scheme, which enable the scheme viable programmes to fast track rapid social and economic development.

Umar said: “Our main purpose here is to provide free medical intervention to persons in the IDPs camps because we observed that there is a gap in healthcare delivery system which the NYSC has the medical team to support.

“We are able to mobilise drugs which will be distributed free to the patients in the camps; from here we will move to other camps and our medical outreach will continue to offer free services.

“We are establishing adult literacy classes and skill acquisition centre. We also have a Corps Legal Scheme, where our corps lawyers secured bail to some inmates.

“The scheme is in high level discussion with the state government on how to enhance our participation in the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR) programme.

“This is to enhance our engagement not only in the IDPs camps but different parts of the state. ”

The Chairman of CDS Medical Team Club, Dr Daniel Omotuwotu, said the club had conducted similar exercises at the Nursing Home and Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri.

He explained that the team offered diagnosis and provided drugs to patients during the exercise.

Mrs Aminu Shehu, one of the beneficiaries, commended the gesture, adding that it will go a long way to improve healthcare delivery in the state. (NAN)