The federal government is making concerted efforts to involve corps members in the promotion of community health across the nooks and crannies of the country.
It said Corps Members are agents of social change, whose presence in all the 774 Local Government Ares of the country with enviable track records of previous participation in several national assignments cannot be underestimated.
The Acting Head of Health Promotion Division in the Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs Ezioma Madu stated this on Thursday when she led some staff of the Ministry on an advocacy visit to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.
While speaking on behalf of the Coordinating Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, Mrs Madu said Corps Members’ selfless and tremendous efforts during the outbreak COVID-19 and also the fight against HIV/AIDS and other notable national assignments are worthy of commendation.
She stated further that there was the need to promote total wellbeing of Nigerians with community health, through awareness creation by using the Corps Members.
“We have the National Health Promotion Forum which involves NGOs, MDAs, Faith-Based Organisations, donor agencies, CSOs, traditional leaders among others, whereby there was a consensus that there is the need to involve Corps Members in the health promotion activities.
“We want to leverage on NYSC’s experience at the systematic level”, she said.
She requested that Corps Members should pick up health promotion as part of their CDS group because they would be able to create awareness on health issues and improve the lifestyles of the people especially at the grassroots.
The Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General YD Ahmed in his response said the Scheme would do everything possible to ensure the well-being of all Nigerians.
He said a technical committee would be constituted to work out modalities on the request adding that the Scheme has over the years successfully participated in several national assignments.
