By Cyrus Ademola
As part of the attempt to empower and mobilise poor communities in the country, the National Youth Service Corps has taken a bold initiative to take health care services to some rural parts of Ogun State. , doubled their effort to promote healthy lifestyle and a thriving hygienic community among the people of Ota.
Led by the project supervisor, Miss. Becky Momoh, the group offered health care services such as free blood tests, pressure tests, sugar level tests, weight checks, among others. In addition, they delivered free screening and drugs to those in need of them.
The Ota Chieftain in the midst of NYSC Corp Members Covid-19 CDS Group of Ado-Odo Ota at the event.
According to the group leader, Miss. Momoh, the outing was to demonstrate the mutual relationship between NYSC and rural communities and also to promote healthy lifestyle in those communities. She and her team said they were able to reach out to the communities because they had the support of the traditional rulers. As part of the Covid-19 CDS group, she said that their objective as corps members is to ensure the promotion of well and healthful living in their assigned local government areas. And this is the real reason behind the outreach.
It is worth noting that the Covid-19 CDS group is an initiative of the NYSC as a response to the Covid pandemic outbreak in 2020. The group’s focus is to sensitise corps members and communities on the intricate details of the Covid-19 virus. It also offers free health advice and education on how to prevent the spread of the virus and encourage vaccine collection among corps members, as well as people in different communities.
In her remark, Momoh who also doubled as the vice president of the group, said that with this objective in mind, they have been able to undertake a feat in their community through the outreach.
She said, “What we did here today is nothing short of a feat. The number of people who turned out for free tests and medical consultations were more than hundred persons. I believe we are keeping in sync with the objective of this faction of the NYSC by carrying out this health awareness programme. We all know how challenging and life-altering the Covid-19 pandemic was in 2020. I believe this is the reason why the government had to create a Covid-19 CDS group to ensure that the NYSC is safe and secure. What we’ve done here today only showed the initiative is working. You can imagine the number of people that benefitted from this outreach today.”
In addition, she also thanked the traditional rulers for giving them the opportunity and willing hands to offer the service to their people. She remarked that none of it would have been possible without the collaboration of the community leaders. She said, “I and my team are really grateful for the support and partnership we received from the traditional leaders of the community. Without their support, none of these would have been possible. They were really friendly and supportive. They gave us a suitable location that we could use for the programme. They also helped encourage the people of their community to take part in the tests and free drugs collections. I want to personally thank the Olokotun of Ota, Oba Abdulakeem Kolawole Odunaro as well as other chieftains that are present here today.”
On his part, Oba Odunaro expressed his gratitude to the CDS group for their visitation. He said that his people were really excited for the effort and gesture of the corps members, and that he hopes other young people will borrow a leaf from them and also do the same in their own communities.
Other dignities that were present at the event include Tayese of Otun of Ota, Chief Muftau Olaonipekun, Balogun of Otun Ota, Chief Fatai Durojaye, Baale of Otun Ota, Chief Rasheed Dada as well as the king’s father, Chief Abdulakeem Odemuyiwa.
