Prioritise our welfare -IDPs appeal to Tinubu

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Durumi Camp in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, to prioritise their welfare.

Coordinator of the camp, Mr Idris Ibrahim-Halilu, made the appeal on Wednesday in Abuja, during the commencement of the Second Quarter 2024 Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Ibrahim-Halilu said that the IDP phenomenon had metamophorsed into an industry and that if considered as an agenda by the president, he would be remembered for impacting their lives.

He also appealed to the NYSC to send corps members to the camp’s school, to teach the children, adding that the primary school at the camp had been closed since 2017.

“That is seven years our primary school has closed for lack of teachers.

“We are victims of ignorance, we are victims of illiteracy and our children and grandchildren are now growing in ignorance and illiteracy.

“I want to believe that the National Directorate of NYSC will help us to send a few corps members, so that we can kick start the school again.

“We only have a nursery in this camp and this is the biggest camp in Abuja. We have about 18 camps scattered over the FCT and this is the biggest with about 3,400 IDPs,” he added.

Ibrahim-Halilu also appealed to the scheme to consider its clinic that had no doctor, adding that over the years if it had received one or two doctors a lot of the IDPs would have been treated there.

He, however, thanked the NYSC management for the health outreach programme, adding that the scheme had been a uniting factor in the country.

“If not for the NYSC, a lot of things would have gone wrong”, he said.

The Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Yu’shau Ahmed, said that the programme, aimed at reaching out to at least 2,000 people have become a beacon of hope for many Nigerians.

Ahmed, represented by the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr Ahmed Ikaka, said that the programme embodied the scheme’s commitment, to complementing government’s effort in the provision of quality healthcare, especially to rural dwellers.

“This is in harmony with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President, to address the health challenges of Nigerians.

“On our part, we have reached out to millions of rural dwellers within the limit of the resources available, as we continue to collaborate with spirited individuals, government and Non-Governmental Organisations.

“The scheme is being inundated with requests from eminent traditional rulers, community leaders and other gate keepers for same laudable initiative, to take place in their respective communities.”

Ahmed said that the first edition for the year took place at Gosa-Sarki, Lugbe Area of Abuja, with hundreds of medical cases diagnosed and treated.

“While we do not discountenance collaborative efforts, through our timeless and unwavering dedication, we have been able to bridge the gap between rural communities and access to essential healthcare services, considerably.”

The Director, Community Development Service (CDS) and Special Projects, Hajiya Zainab Isah, said that the scheme mobilised 48 Corps Medical personnel comprising 18 doctors, 12 pharmacists, 10 nurses and eight medical laboratory scientists to attend to the people.

She added that part of activities to be carried-out include sensitisation on causes and prevention of diseases, diagnosis, checkups and treatment of a wide range of ailments.

“As usual, complicated medical conditions that require more sophisticated equipment and attention than what we have, will be referred to the appropriate facilities,” she said.

NEWSVERGE reports that the programme, which began in 2014, operates using a tripod of sensitisation to prevention of illness, diagnosis and treatment of ailments, and referrals.