The Executive Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has called on corporate bodies and institutions to rally support for Government at all levels in a bid to provide qualitative health care for all Nigerians.
The Executive Governor made the call at Odode in Idanre Local Government area of the state where he flagged off the first quarter of 2024 NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme.
Aiyedatiwa, disclosed that it is an herculean task for the government, whether at the Local, State or even Federal level to provide or achieve all her lofty programmes for the people completely at the same time in view of the dwindling financial resources occasioned by the global economy.
He showered encomiums on the management of the laudable Scheme, saying that NYSC has gone a step further from her primary responsibility of integrating and uniting the country.
“It is a pleasant relief when support or partnerships such as this is being provided for by the NYSC. Our belief is that the Scheme is exceeding its primary mandate which is to practically impact the rural communities who overall, constitute majority population of the nation; to integrate our great country into one indivisible entity thereby promoting unity and oneness”.
The Governor who was represented by the Director, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mrs. Catherine Olukemi Okukpe said that the Government and good people of Ondo State appreciated the gesture which is seen as an extension of the government policy on healthcare for all and sundry.
In her introductory speech, the NYSC Ondo State Coordinator, Mrs. Victoria Nnenna Ani said that the management decided to support the government in her quest to achieve ‘Health for all’ by year 2030 in line with one of the focal programmes of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The State Coordinator hinted that to achieve this drive, the Director General massively mobilise volunteer corps medical personnel to the rural areas nationwide to provide free qualitative health services to indigent citizens and residents who ordinarily would not have been able to access medical attention as a result of neglect and remoteness of their location.
“I therefore beseech the community dwellers and its environs to seize the golden opportunity of this programme to improve their health status which will lead to drastic fall in the cases of untimely deaths among them and also enhance their standards of living in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) statutes”.
She encouraged them to feel free and discuss any of their confidential health related challenges with the corps medical personnel who will be attending to them, assuring them that their classified information will remain confidential.
Ani thanked the Owa of Idanre-in-Council for mobilising beneficiaries to the programme as well as the Local Government for the logistical support.
The Goodwill message from the Local Government was read by the Head, Local Government Administration, Mr. Ojomo Adeyemi while that of Owa of Idanre Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Frederick Adegunle Aroloye, OFR was delivered by High Chief Lomofe Odeyemi.