Community leaders and residents of Dutse-Alhaji, Bwari area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, have commended the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) following the 2025 Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) flag-off in their community.
The outreach, held on Monday at LEA Primary School, Dutse-Alhaji, provided free medical care and disease prevention services to underserved residents.
Speaking at the event, the district head of Dutse-Alhaji, Alhaji Abubakar Bako, expressed gratitude to the NYSC for selecting the community for the outreach programme. He noted that the presence of NYSC personnel had inspired local students and boosted community morale.
He assured that the medications provided would be used responsibly and prayed for Dutse-Alhaji to become the healthiest community in the city.
“The NYSC is for Nigeria, but they have chosen Dutse-Alhaji. On behalf of the Dutse-Alhaji community, we say thank you for selecting us for this health outreach.
“We also appreciate that the benefits go beyond the free medications. You may not realise how much this visit has uplifted us, especially our younger generation, the students peeking through the classroom windows. Seeing NYSC uniforms here today will inspire them in their academic and career pursuits. We are deeply grateful.”
On his part, the director general of NYSC, Brigadier General Kunle Nafiu, stated that the programme was born out of the management’s desire to prioritise the total well-being of rural dwellers by deploying highly qualified medical personnel to provide free healthcare services to the most vulnerable.
Represented by the director of planning, Research, and Statistics, Alhaji Ahmed Wada Ikaka, the DG commended traditional rulers, chiefs, community leaders, and residents for their active participation. He encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunity to assess their health and receive treatment.
“To our patriotic corps members, medical professionals and those providing support, I commend your dedication to healthcare delivery in rural areas. I remain proud of your immeasurable contributions to the socio-economic development of our nation,” he added.
Also speaking, the senior health education officer from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Mr Michael Okali, noted that the initiative was timely, especially as communities grapple with limited healthcare resources and rising infections like cholera during the rainy season.
“The NYSC structures in communities are instrumental in spreading our message of disease prevention. They have been helping us reach vulnerable populations more effectively,” he said.
