The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) through its Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) has dewormed 156 pupils as part of its medical outreach in Lofan, Barkin-Ladi Local Government in Plateau.
The NYSC-HIRD which started its one-week free medical outreach nationwide on Monday had also donated food items, toiletries, clothing, and money to the elderly in the community.
The Plateau state coordinator of the scheme, Ms. Caroline Embu, presided over the deworming on Wednesday in Lofan.
Embu said that the aim of the medical outreach is to reach out to the indigent rural dwellers with basic healthcare.
She described the medical outreach, which started on Monday with diagnosis, treatment, and referrals, as 90 percent successful.
Embu said that the deworming of the pupils of LEA Gossi and Primary School, Lofan, was to ensure that the children were also healthy.
She also said that the donation of food items, toiletries, clothing, and money to the elderly in the community was geared toward supporting them.
The Gwom Rwey of Fan, Mr. Dashwei Chungwom, commended the NYSC for its gesture of bringing healthcare to those living in the rural areas.
He said that the outreach would further strengthen the existing relationship between the community and the NYSC.
Similarly, the Monitoring Officer, Community Development Service (CDS), NYSC headquarters, Mrs. Blessing Iruma, commended the medical outreach.
She said that the turnout was impressive and that the people were excited and eager to benefit from the medical outreach.
Some pupils who spoke with our correspondent expressed joy, saying they could not remember when last they dewormed.
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The pupils thanked the NYSC for the free medical outreach saying the act would enable them to stay healthy without their parents paying for the services.
Similarly, one of the elderly beneficiaries of the donations, Mrs. Naomi Audu, thanked the NYSC for their gesture.
Newsmen report that no fewer than 700 persons had benefitted from the free-medical outreach that included health talks and sensitization, diagnosis for hypertension, hepatitis B and C, as well as HIV/AIDS.
