…Declares Nigeria meningitis, polio, cholera-free

From: Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

In order to prevent another sad incident of deaths of corps members as a result of lack of medical facility in the National Orientation Camps across the country, the Federal Executive Council has approved the inclusion of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to be included in National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

The FEC meeting was presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday.

Last year, there were public outcry following the death of one Miss Ifedolapo Oladepo, at the NYSC orientation camp in Kano, due to negligence after they thought she was faking sickness to avoid parade.

The First Class Transport Management graduate of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, was buried on, December 1, 2016, in her hometown in Osogbo, Osun state.

Another First Class graduate of Petroleum Engineering from the University of Uyo,  Ukeme Asuquo, also died at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp in Zamfara State, December 1, 2016, after suffering from Diarrhea.

The public had called on government to make  conscious effort to see that the participants of the NYSC scheme are well protected and are given the best of medical attention.

Addressing State House Correspondents at the post-FEC briefing, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said the inclusion of NYSC corps members in the NHIS scheme was one of the two memoranda presented by the ministry for approval.

Adewole who briefed alongside his counterparts in Agric Audu Ogbeh and science and technology Ogbonnaya Oby,  said,  the ministry presented memorandum that “has to do with how we will prevent unnecessary death among youth Corp members across the country. Council approved the memo that henceforth we will include NYSC members in the National Health Insurance Scheme across the country. This will guarantee access to quality care across the country, prevent unnecessary deaths and also ensure our youth corps members receive the highest attainable level of care across the country.”

Adewole said Council also received memoranda from the Ministry of Health, that has to do with the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding between the federal ministry of health and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities  (UNFPA). “This MoU has to do with  the procurement and distribution of contraceptives commodities across the country. The federal government has the policy of free distribution of contraceptives commodities and services across the country. We have renewed the MoU today to last for the next  four years between 2017 and 2020. And that we will also continue to provide effective safe voluntary contraceptives services across.”

The ministry also presented a report on the state of public health services across to council.

According to the minister, “We have formally declared the Meningitis outbreak over in the country. We also informed FEC that we have not recorded new cases of Polio in the country in 2017. We have recorded seven new cases of Lessa fever across the country and the cholera outbreak in Kwara State has also fizzled out.”