The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi has commended the comprehensive healthcare delivery policy of the Kwara State Government, which he described as one of the best in the country.
Olawumi, who made the commendation when he paid a courtesy visit to the Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed at the Government House, Ilorin, said the NYSC was flagging off its health initiative for rural dwellers to complement the state government’s healthcare delivery.
He explained that the initiative would give rural dwellers greater access to medical care as corps doctors and other professionals would offer free medical services to the people while patients in need of referrals would be sent to hospitals for follow up.
Responding, Ahmed said the NYSC initiative was a positive development, as it would strengthen the implementation of the state government’s community health insurance scheme.
He said the Community Health Insurance Scheme, alongside other healthcare programmes, which have attracted local and international recognition, ensured that a greater number of Kwara population have access to qualitative healthcare.
The governor canvassed a review of the assistance states render to federal agencies in the face of the persistent fall in the funds accruing to the states from the Federation Account. Ahmed lamented that it was increasingly becoming difficult for the states to render such assistance to federal agencies in the face of dwindling funds and consistent increase in the statutory responsibilities the states have to discharge to their people.
“Resources have been dwindling in the last four years. Unfortunately, the Federal Government composition of support has also been dwindling. That is why the kind of impact you expect the states to have is not seen. If the complementary funds come from the Federal Government, the state government would not have problem in supporting federal institutions but to the extent that state government funds cannot carry its problems would be very challenging.”
