The United Nations has recognised the National Youth Service Corps as a powerful force for youth development in Nigeria, with a senior UN official offering warm commendation for the scheme’s sustained contributions to rural welfare and national cohesion.
Felipe Paullier, Assistant Secretary General for Youth Affairs and Head of the United Nations Youth Office, delivered the praise during the flag-off ceremony of the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers held at the Kabusa community in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Paullier said his visit to Nigeria was centred on substantive engagement with youth organisations, youth representatives and key stakeholders, with particular focus on the NYSC, as part of broader efforts to advance the youth agenda across the country. He said the conversations were geared toward reinforcing the role of young Nigerians as active partners in development, peace and the promotion of human rights.
Reflecting on what he had seen and heard during his time in the country, the UN official said many Nigerians, both young and old, had spoken to him with genuine pride about their NYSC experiences. He described the scheme’s free medical interventions in rural communities as a meaningful contribution to the collective effort of building a better world.
Over Five Million Nigerians Reached
NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, used the occasion to brief the visiting UN official on the scale and impact of the initiative since its launch in 2014. He said the HIRD programme has so far extended free medical services to more than five million Nigerians across the country’s rural areas, and that the scheme is projecting to reach approximately 45,000 additional beneficiaries this year alone.
Nafiu noted that expanding the reach of the programme has been made possible in part by two brand new mobile clinics donated by the wife of President Bola Tinubu, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, which have significantly widened the scope of the scheme’s operations in underserved communities.
He also disclosed that the NYSC plans to take its rural healthcare offer a step further by introducing minor surgical procedures at no cost to beneficiaries, a development he described as a significant upgrade to the existing service model.
Drawing a direct line between the scheme’s work and the global development agenda, Nafiu said the HIRD programme contributes actively to Sustainable Development Goal 3, which is focused on good health and wellbeing, by improving healthcare access and encouraging healthier lifestyles in communities that have historically been underserved. He added that the initiative also supports SDG Goal 1, which targets the eradication of poverty, by reducing the financial burden that healthcare costs place on vulnerable households and empowering communities to make more informed health decisions.
Nafiu reserved special appreciation for the corps medical personnel deployed across rural communities, describing their commitment as selfless and their contributions as lasting.
“I am proud of you and your valuable contributions to our nation’s development. Your selfless services will always be remembered,” he told the corps members present at the ceremony.
Community Gratitude and Programme Details
The traditional ruler of Kabusa village, Chief Samuel Kpowu, who holds the title of Dakachi, expressed deep gratitude to the NYSC for bringing free medical care directly to his community, describing it as a first of its kind experience for the area.
The acting Director of Community Development Service and Special Projects, Mrs. Funmilayo Ajayi, provided a breakdown of the services offered during the two-day outreach. These included health sensitisation, education on disease prevention and general wellbeing, medical consultations, treatment and diagnosis, laboratory testing, scanning, eye care services, free medications and referrals for cases requiring further attention.
The outreach was delivered with the support of two partnering organisations: Genlab and Doc.roa, led by its Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Mr. Ebozoje Segun, and the Rabiu Olowo Foundation, represented by its General Manager, Dr. Ayomide Adebayo.
