File copy: Some NYSC members

Some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), serving in Kudan Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have targeted no fewer than 1,000 people in the area for free medical services.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the corps members, under the auspices of ‘ThumbsUp2Health-Kaduna’, included Ebakiyie Okiemute-Gift, Islamiyat Bamidele-Lawal, Ogbede Daniel and Aruoriwo Julius.

The two-day exercise, in collaboration with an NGO, ‘Building Nation Initiative’ attracted male and female beneficiaries from the area.

In an interview on the sideline of the programme at Kudan town on Tuesday, the Coordinator, ThumbsUp2Health-Kaduna State, Ebakiyie Okiemute-Gift, said that the exercise was meant to address some pressing health needs of the people.

‘‘Our aim is to improve the lives of the community we are serving, because we discovered that the community’s health condition is not as ideal as it should be.

‘‘We came together as a body to do something for this community, hence the introduction of ThumbsUp2Health-Kaduna because we have done something similar in Lagos.

‘‘We did the work together with a group of people called ‘Joganotes’ under the Poise Foundation; I am a product of that and we came here to do same.’’

Okiemute-Gift said besides free malaria tests, HIV testing and counselling, blood pressure, blood group and eye defect checks, among others, the two-day programme also featured a seminar purely for women.

“Apart from that, we also distributed treated mosquito nets to women. In total, we are targeting to offer free medical treatment to 1,000 people.

‘‘But today being the last day, we are hoping to see as many people as possible, including male, female and children, whom from all indications, may be above the estimated target.

‘‘We have limited kids; however, we are optimistic that we will make the maximum impact.’’

He identified inadequate funding and language barrier as some of the major challenges they were facing.

Also in an interview, Nura Hassan-Aliyu, the President, Medical Students Association, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), said that they were invited to come and assist their senior colleagues.

‘‘We are here to help carry out medical exhibition so as to take blood pressure, body mass index, blood group, malaria, diagnostic test and HIV screening.

‘‘We are also here to enlighten people on health-related issues, especially on Meningitis now that we are in hot season,’’ he said.

A cross section of beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the corps members for what they described as a good spirit in helping the society.

Malam Nura Mohammed and Malama Hindatu Abdullahi, both beneficiaries of the exercise, appealed to Kaduna State and Kudan Local Governments to assist public-spirited people to help the under-privileged in society.

(NAN)