From: Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Three physically-challenged persons in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Thursday, received wheelchairs from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as part of its Health Initiative for Rural Dweller (HIRD) designed to take quality health care services to the doorsteps of the underprivileged and rural dwellers.
The wheelchairs were presented to the beneficiaries at HIRD programme held at Mapo Hall, Ibadan.
The three beneficiaries, who emerged through open balloting, among eight persons that vied for the wheelchairs, were Steve Okejide, a male, and two females, Aishat Maroof, and Omolara Adebusayo.
The sum of N27,250 that was raised at the programme was, however, shared equally among all the eight physically challenged to take care of themselves.
The presentation ceremony was witnessed by the State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs. Ifeoma Anidobi, top NYSC staff in the state, corps members, physically-challenged persons and their family members as well as Head of Local Government Administration (HLGA) of Ibadan South East Local Government, Mrs. Victoria Akinpelu, who represented the caretaker chairman of the council, Alhaji Teslim Ajimobi.
Mrs. Anidobi said the aims and objectives of HIRD “are to sensitise the rural dwellers on common ailments and preventable diseases, to diagnose one a r treat rural people at selected communities, to provide first aid services for minor and peculiar ailments, to provide free screening services for HIV, hepatitis, sickle cell anaemia and so on.
“To make the programme achieve its full objectives, various stakeholders in the health sector, corporate entities, non-governmental organisations, global agencies such as World Health Organisation, UNICEF and regional bodies like USAID were contacted to assist and collaborate with the scheme in areas of drug donation, logistic supplies, enlightenment talks and rural health shows.
“The programme had been carried out in all the states of the federation and has also received positive media publicity and response from rural dwellers. To add more value to our society and to improve the health welfare of concerned citizens, the present Director-General of the scheme, Brigadier-General Sule Kazaure, decided to bring health relief to the residents of Ibadan South East Local Government and directed that three sets of wheelchairs be distributed to the physically challenged for easy mobility.”
The corps members serving in Ibadan South East Local Government, however, adopted one of the three beneficiaries, Aishat Maroof.
Miss Bukola Olayode, who spoke on behalf of the corps members, said Aishat was adopted because she was already in a primary school and her education must continue, with a view to lifting burden off the shoulders of her grandmother, who has been taking care of her since her mother died.
Olayode said the adoption would cover all educational expenses of Aishat, adding that the leadership of NYSC were involved so that the gesture would not stop for Aishat when the present sets of corps members passed out of the scheme.
The HLGA for IBSE Local Government, Mrs. Akinpelu, on behalf of the council’s chairman, appreciated NYSC for the gesture, describing the event as epoch-making. She added that giving to the underprivileged in the society is a humanitarian service, that should be continuous.