Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
Communities in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State have appealed to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the state to deploy corps members who are medical doctors and pharmacists to their communities.
The communities lamented the absence of medical doctors in the health facilities in the area.
Making known their predicament at Ezi Anam during the passing out ceremony of the 2018 Batch “B” Stream I of corps members deployed to the area, the council chairman, Mr. Orji Okafor, disclosed that no single medical doctor was in the 21 healthcare centres in the council.
Also lamenting the non-availability of laboratories, the council boss said that even the few nurses in the medical facilities were overworking themselves, hence their demand that the NYSC should come to their rescue.
While saying that corps member doctors would go a long way in complimenting their efforts, Okafor said: “We don’t have a single doctor in the 21 health centres which are not close to one another. The only missionary hospital here has a female doctor who works day and night.
“We currently have only two corps doctors. We will appreciate if you send about five more corps doctors to us to complement the efforts of the nurses.”
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Okafor who appreciated the NYSC management for choosing the council for the ceremony, said it was their hope that the visit would attract more governments attention to the council.
The state NYSC coordinator, Mr. Kehinde Aremu, in turn appreciated the council, disclosing that he chose to celebrate the corps members there because of its peculiar terrain.
Aremu thanked the council for the love and hospitality shown to the corps members and assured them of favourable consideration of their requests.
The coordinator also commended the corps members for their acceptance to serve in the riverine area and also for impacting positively on the lives of the people, noting that such sacrifices hardly go unrewarded.
Four corps members who distinguished themselves in their places of primary assignment were presented with certificates of recognition at the ceremony.