The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has disclosed that its Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) has touched the lives of over four million Nigerians since it was launched in 2014. Most of the beneficiaries, the agency noted, are rural residents with limited access to essential healthcare services.
Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, the Director-General of the NYSC, made this known during the official flag-off of the 2025 First Quarter HIRD outreach in the Dutse-Alhaji and Dutsepe communities of the Federal Capital Territory. Represented by Mr. Ahmed Ikaka, the NYSC Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Nafiu explained that the HIRD programme strategically mobilises corps members with medical expertise to provide free health interventions, promote disease prevention, and offer treatments for diagnosed conditions.
According to him, the initiative also contributes valuable data to government and health institutions for policy formulation and effective healthcare planning in underserved regions. “This has helped with referrals for specialised cases while also serving as a foundation for collecting statistics on the spread of diseases in local communities,” he said.
Nafiu described the project as a direct intervention designed to improve health access and enhance national productivity through healthier populations. “Management views this platform as an avenue to actively contribute towards addressing Nigeria’s health challenges. The impact has been significant, bringing pre-medical and primary care services to millions at their doorstep, and averting potential health crises among vulnerable groups,” he noted.
He commended the collective support of stakeholders, saying the consistent success of the programme would not have been possible without their collaboration.
Also speaking at the event, the Director of Community Development Service and Special Projects, Mr. Ahidjo Yahaya, said the two-day medical outreach in the Dutse communities was led by NYSC corps members trained as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and lab scientists. He noted that activities would include health education, screenings, diagnoses, and the administration of treatments for various common ailments.
Meanwhile, the District Head of Dutse-Alhaji, Alhaji Abubakar Bako, praised the NYSC for remembering his community, expressing heartfelt gratitude for the gesture. He emphasized that the presence of the corps members would inspire local youths to strive for educational excellence. “Seeing the NYSC uniform here will surely motivate our children. This visit will not be forgotten in a hurry,” he said.
Residents who spoke at the event lauded the NYSC’s intervention, promising to adopt the health advice shared and take personal hygiene more seriously moving forward.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the HIRD programme is a core component of NYSC’s social impact efforts, focusing on preventive healthcare, first aid, monitoring, and referrals. It is aimed at bridging the healthcare gap in rural communities by deploying the expertise of corps members in medical fields across the country.
