The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NYSC

  • NYSC demand for medical certificate misplaced

    NYSC demand for medical certificate misplaced

    SIR: I learnt that National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) authorities have made it compulsory that every prospective corps member must come to the NYSC camp with a medical fitness certificate from any government hospital. Although I have no problem with the new demand considering the deaths of corps members in the last stream, my problem is that the body has technically avoided the issues that should be addressed first.

    Have NYSC authorities addressed the poor sanitary conditions in their camps nationwide? This is important because if an NYSC camp, for instance, has 10 toilet units, and there are 3000 corps members expected in the camp, then on the average, 300 corps members would make use of one toilet unit. That will be very unhygienic for corps members from different social statuses and with different health challenges.

    Concerning the camp clinics, what are their levels of preparedness in tackling health emergencies? Although the Nigerian Medical Association(NMA) national president, Prof Mike Ogirima, has urged NYSC authorities to engage the services of at least one medical consultant in each state NYSC camp, my own further suggestion is that the Director of Medical Services (DMS) of each state Ministry of Health, the state NMA officials with other relevant bodies in each state should as a matter of urgency visit each state NYSC camp clinics to ascertain their levels of preparedness in managing medical emergencies. This is important because even if NYSC authorities contract the services of 100 medical consultants but fail to procure emergency medical equipment and drugs, the medical consultants with their junior colleagues will only turn to prayer warriors when any medical emergency crops up in the camp.

    The Director of Public Health (DPH) in each state ministry of health should equally visit the NYSC camp in their states to ascertain the level of preparedness of the camp in preventing or handling public health issues. This is important because the medical certificate demanded by NYSC authorities can certify a corps member clinically fit but the poor sanitary conditions of the NYSC camps are enough to break down such corps member. I need not tell the DPH that there are diseases that can be contracted in crowded places or in places best described as slums. Those that prepare their foods and the places the foods are prepared should also be inspected. I need not talk about the quality of their food since there is an alternative of buying from private food vendors.

    Finally, some of the strenuous (not moderate) exercises organised by the military officers in the camps should be dropped or reviewed. The conditions that the  corps members are meant to pass through while in the camps are enough harrowing experiences, then introducing another strenuous exercise is what Hooke’s law calls the elastic limit , beyond which we expect both the yielding and breaking points.

     

    • Dr Paul John,

    Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

  • Amosun lauds NYSC scheme

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun has hailed the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme as a “veritable means of harnessing the productive energies” of the nation’s youth as “development agents.”

    He said many Nigerians who passed through the scheme are today occupying commanding positions in the political, social and economic sphere of the society nay the country.

    Amosun, who made this known at the International Stadium, Sagamu, Ogun State, during the closing ceremony of the 2016 Batch ‘B’ stream 1 orientation programme, urged all hands to be on the deck for the sustenance of the lofty scheme.

    Amosun, who was represented at the occasion by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Afolabi Afuape, urged the corps members to see the one year assignment as a challenge and contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of Ogun State and Nigeria.

    He recalled that the NYSC programme was specifically designed to bring Nigerian youths together with the “objective of instilling in them, dedication, perseverance, patriotism and national consciousness needed for the growth of the country.”

    A total of 2,642 Corps members concluded their three week course at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Sagamu, which involved two drills, lectures to appreciate national values and productivity as well as security tips and martial arts for self defence, according the state Coordinator, Mr Afoloyan James.

  • State of NYSC Camps

    State of NYSC Camps

    The death of three Corps members in orientation camps early this month sparked anger. The incident raised questions on the state of facilities in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps.  The Nation visited some camps during the orientation for Batch B Corps members, which ended last Wednesday. We found that situation varies from camp to camp.

    The three-week orientation of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for Batch B Corps members ended nationwide last Wednesday.  But it was not without drama. It was marred by the death of three corps members in Bayelsa, Kano and Zamfara states.  The incident raised issues about the state of facilities (medical, accommodation, feeding etc) in the camps.

    States are supposed to provide the NYSC with camps for the programme.  A visit to camps in Lagos, Ogun, Plateau, Oyo, Edo, Ondo, Cross River, Benue and Ekiti states revealed that while some were dilapidated, others were in fairly good condition but crying for rehabilitation.

     

    Oyo

    In terms of the state of infrastructure, the permanent orientation camps in Iseyin,  Oyo State, are in good condition.  Some corps members said  the structures were in good condition and have amenities like water and electricity.

    But with over 2,000 corps members posted to the camps at once, there is pressure on the facilities as the hostels gets congested.

    For instance, about 2,300 Batch B youth corps members spent three weeks at the Iseyin permanent Orientation camp.

    The government, it was gathered, had just renovated some of the facilities at the camp. The toilets were tiled; a borehole was provided and pipes laid to supply water to the toilets, bathrooms, offices and other areas.

    Speaking on the state of facilities at the camp, a female corps member from Lagos, who did not want her name in print, said the accommodation, was inadequate for large the number of corps members.

    “Well, we have to do with it, since we are not going to remain there forever.  It is just for three weeks so whatever challenges we encounter, we have to endure.

    “But that does not mean we should be treated badly.  The government should ensure adequate provision of amenities to make us comfortable as humans. We are not animals. We deserve to be treated well not what we have here,” she said.

    Efforts to get the NYSC state Coordinator, Mrs Funmilayo Akin-Moses to comment failed as she was said to have travelled.

    However, while featuring on a programme aired by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Ibadan last Friday, Mrs Akin-Moses admitted that corps members faced some challenges which, she noted, was not uncommon to humans.

    She said the training the corps members was tailored to help them cope with such challenges.

     

    Ogun

    Some 2,642 corps members stayed at the Sagamu orientation camp, which many of them described as “okay”.

    The camp was built during the administration of Governor Gbenga Daniel and boasts of a moderate clinic and spacious hostels, among others.

    A female Corps member from Cross River State, who identified herself as Ini, told The Nation that the condition of the camp was satisfactory compared to what is obtainable in most universities’ hostels, where they stayed as students.

    “Everything was okay and I know that would probably be the same impression my colleagues have about the Orientation camp in Sagamu, Ogun State.

    “The clinic and healthcare providers manning the facility are adequate and even Corps members who are graduates in medicine and related fields are also part of the medical crew while the camping lasted,” she said.

    Another corps member, who declined to give his name told The Nation that the facilities at the camp particularly the clinic, the accommodation, feeding and the sanitation system were okay.

    But, another corps member (names withheld) said it could be stuffy sleeping in the hostel at night.

    “Our camp is actually beautiful in terms of infrastructure. But our hostels are too hot. It is always very difficult to sleep at night when there is no light. But if there is light, the fans will be on which makes it better,” said the corps member.

    The State Coordinator, Mr James Afoloyan, said the camp has adequate facilities to care for any health challenge and can handle emergency whenever it arises.

    He said the three-week course involved two drills, lectures to appreciate national values and productivity as well as security tips and martial arts to enhance their well-being and self defence.

    He admitted that in a programme where over 2,000 persons converged on a location for a specific period, there would be people with varied health challenges. But, he said they took care of them because the camp made adequate preparation in advance to meet any emergency.

     

    Ekiti

    The Ekiti State NYSC Camp in Ise/Orun/Emure, which hosted 2,068, needs on upgrade of facilities.

    While corps members enjoy relatively decent accommodation, the building serving as staff quarters has become dilapidated.

    Corps members told our reporter that feeding, toilets and water supply were adequate and the camp was kept clean. The camp is reputed to be one of the largest in the federation and has room for expansion.

    The Ekiti State NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Tobias Ibeh, said the camp needs the state’s support.

    He said many projects on the camp were executed with limited funds by the State Office of NYSC.

    He said the camp lacks a hall that can accommodate all the corps members at once. The corps members used to have lectures under trees, he said, until the state office constructed a makeshift hall for them.

    Lagos

    The Lagos NYSC camp is said to be one of the best in the country – with good hostels, dining hall and parade ground.  Many corps members praise the quality of food.  However, overcrowding puts pressure on its facilities as well.

    A corps member said: “Our camp is okay. I am a platoon call commander and I am enjoying my camp. But the hostel is a bit stuffy. We are many in a big room. Camp food is fine and healthy. I have not heard of anyone having infections due to camp food. Also, the clinic is good.”

    Another corps member complained that inadequate toilets forces corps members to resort shot put – a colloquial term for open defecation.

    “The condition of our toilets is very bad so most people result to shot put – that is using nylon to defecate and throwing it away – because they are afraid of getting infection from the toilets.

    “Now the faeces are thrown all around that we perceive the odour even in our hostel halls,” the corps member said.

     

    Benue

    The NYSC camp in Benue State is located in Wannunue, Tarkaa Local Government Area – about 12 kilometers from Makurdi-Gboko Federal highway.

    It was constructed about eight years ago during George Akume’s tenure as governor.

    The camp is built on a small hill that overlooks the River Benue and it is cold at night and  hot in the afternoon.

    Security around the camp is tight because it is beside the Benue Police Command Training School.

    However, Corps members said facilities in the camp need to be upgraded.

    Miss Elizabeth Effoing from Calabar, said: “The facilities are perfect but there is need for the government to renovate them.”

    Paul Tochukwu, who praised the officials of the camp for maintaining a clean environment, including hostels and toilets, said the hostels need renovation.

    James Okoh from Enugu State said the clinic does not have enough drugs to treat minor cases like malaria and typhoid. He advised the authorities to  equip the clinic with basic drugs.

     

    Plateau

    Though the NYSC orientation in Plateau State has been taking place in its permanent site at Barkin Ladi-Mangu since 2014, its structures are yet to be completed.

    While the camp, which is 65km from Jos, has enough accommodation Corps members posted to the state, it lacks some basic infrastructure including a perimeter fence. The front of the camp hall a wall fence, but part of the sides are fenced with barb wires.

    A corps member, Oyeyemi Badmus, said of the security of the camp, “The state government has tried in having a permanent orientation camp, it is not all states that are able to do this.  But the issue of security is still a problem because the fencing is not complete, which is why they bring in security personnel during camping, but even at that, proper fencing is required.”

    The camp has been connected to the national grid, but the electricity supply has not been constant.

    Plateau State governor Simon Lalong has made provisions for the camp’s completion in the 2017 budget, which has been sent to the House of assembly.

     

    Ondo

    The permanent orientation camp in Ondo State is in Ikare-Akoko, about 200 kilometers from Akure.

    The road leading to the camp, especially the portion in Owo and Akungba is in bad shape that corps members experience untold hardship getting there.  They described the journey as scary.

    In the camp, there is still much to be done to complete the fencing of its premises; the accommodation is inadequate, water is scarce and power supply is epileptic.

    For several months, there has been no light in many parts of Akokoland.  This affected the camp, which relied on generator to provide light during the three-week orientation.

    However, a source at the State Directorate of NYSC said the issues have been reported to the National Headquarters for intervention.

    Cross River

    Located in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State, the NYSC Orientation Camp is a three-hour drive away from Calabar, the state capital.

    The camp served as the Federal Government’s Amnesty Camp for repentant Niger Delta militants from 2010-2011. It was during this period that the camp was fenced round. The amnesty programme made the Federal Government to give the place a facelift. Modern air-conditioned cabins were provided as accommodation for officials, dilapidated structures were renovated and buildings painted. Facilities before the ex-militants started using the place, it was gathered were in deplorable condition.

    However, since the amnesty programme ended things seemed to have returned to what they were.

    Officials of the NYSC in the state refused to comment about the camp, but it was gathered that it houses over 2,000 corps members at a time.

    Corps members who spoke with our reporter, condemned the state of toilets, accommodation, electricity supply and water, among others.

    Most agreed that only the food was passable.

    “As you can see the toilets and bathrooms here are not up to standard. Besides being unhygienic, they are inadequate for the number of people that want to use them at a time. I would not lie to you, most of us here prefer to defecate in the bushes and also take our bath outside, especially very early in the morning.

    “We don’t have adequate electricity. The electricity we get is from the generator that runs from 7pm-11pm and 5:30am-6:30am. So on hot afternoons you cannot even get the fans to cool your body. The place is more like a glorified prison, I have to say. I don’t believe in the scrapping of the scheme, but I feel the Federal Government should do something urgently about improving how things are,” said a corps member who gave his name as George said.

    Another Corps member, Amaka, complained the hostels are overcrowded. “We have so many corps members camped into one hostel and I don’t need to tell you that it is quite unhealthy. Some of the rooms do not even have fans so that at night the heat from so many bodies makes it uncomfortable to sleep. Some hostels do not even have electricity, so charging phones is a problem.”

    She also complained about the toilets and quality of water in the camp.

    “The toilets and bathrooms are nothing to write home about. Their states respectively are completely unhygienic, making us, especially the girls prone to toilet infections. Efforts are always made to keep them as clean as possible, but these are far from adequate.

    “Another issue that is really serious here is the water. We realised that about one hour after you fetch the water, you see oil-like substance floating on it. This is a major problem, as one does not know the kind of diseases we may get, because it is the only water we have to bath with. Although most of us have disinfectants, I think something should be done urgently. Most of us are here because it is mandatory. We could not wait for it to finish so we can get away. The only positive I am taking from here is the new friends and contacts I have made. Orientation camps should be standard across the country.”

     

    Edo

    Okada Secondary School currently serves as the temporary orientation camp for the NYSC in Edo State. Its permanent site in Okada Town in Ovia North Local Government Area is near completion but has been overgrown with weeds.

    It was during the administration of Chief Lucky Igbinedion that the orientation camp was moved from Abudu in Orhionmwon Local Government Area to Okada.

    Some buildings in the camp have been completed.

    Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu last month asked NYSC management to take over ownership of its permanent structures for use by the next batch of corps members.

    Shaibu decried the state of facilities at the temporary camp compared to what he termed solid structures at the permanent site.

    He urged NYSC management to remove the overgrown weeds in order to attract government intervention.

    At the temporary camp, corps members make use of the classrooms as sleeping areas and the perimeter fence of the school is broken in places such that passersby could see the Corps members carrying out their morning drill.  But security officers were seen patrolling the compound.

    Some of the corps members complained that there were different entrances to the camp. Thereby, made the place vulnerable.

    One of them said: “You can enter through those routes and no security personnel will be aware of it even though during the day, you could see soldiers in some of those entrances but they are not very secure anyway.”

    The corps member, who pleaded anonymity, said the food was not too good adding that the hostels were overcrowded.

    A corps member said: “The accommodation and sanitation are our major problems. Also the clinic is another issue. The hostels are jam-packed. In my hostel, there are about 50 double bunks, which translates to about 100 people and our room does not have even one fan. We only have three doors and nine windows. It is very stuffy.”

    The State NYSC coordinator, Mrs Atine Akyam, refused to comment, saying, she would only speak “with permission, from appropriate authorities”.

     

  • Ideal NYSC camps

    The orientation camp experience is one of the most memorable aspects of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.  The three-week programme of physical drills, parades, sporting and cultural activities, skill acquisition, lectures, pageants and endurance treks is usually challenging, educative and fun-filled for graduates drawn from tertiary institutions nationwide and abroad.

    It is a time to form vital friendships, learn new lessons about places and people, and gain some form of work experience and skills.  However, the poor state of facilities in most orientation camps across the country detracts from the experience.

    Since I served over a decade ago, the situation in many camps has deteriorated. In my time in camp, the temporary NYSC camp in Ebonyi State – the Holy Child Girls’ Secondary School – was located in Izzi Local Government Area.  The hostels were crowded; bathing in the bathroom was a nightmare because it was usually waterlogged; and the pit latrines were a no-go area.  I joined many others to bath outside before the beagle for Physical Training went off by 5am. We got water from a bore hole which pumped once or twice daily.  When that was unavailable, we relied on a hand-pumped tap for our water supply.  I remember we experienced a day of water scarcity back then when many people could not take a bath for most of the day.  Food was another issue.  It was not always good so the Mammy market served as a veritable backup for Corps members who did not reckon with camp meals.

    Many serving and past Corps members can relate to my experience.  Not much has changed – except that the camps are even more crowded than before – especially those still using schools as temporary camps.

    The poor state of facilities is one of the reasons people from various quarters are calling for the scrapping of the scheme.  Others are: problems of insecurity, influencing of postings, under-employment of Corps members posted to secretariats of local government areas, and increasingly, the difficulty of mobilizing all eligible graduates at the scheduled time.

    This does not have to be the case.  The NYSC programme can be redesigned to be profitable for both corps members and the government.

    The NYSC should come up with a standard template for all camps in the country.  The template for accommodation should pay attention to ventilation, multiple exits, and space.  The toilets and bathrooms should be adequate for the number the camp can accommodate.   Regular water supply is not negotiable – and something should be done to solve the problem of epileptic power supply.   We know it is a national issue, but camps should invest in alternative sources.

    Camps should also have conducive halls for lectures, sporting facilities, and a skills acquisition centre for Corps members to learn all kinds of skills.  If facilities in orientation camps are in good condition, it would not only benefit Corps members, it would generate income for the scheme.  Churches, clubs, companies, should be able to rent orientation camps for their retreat programmes.

    No corps member should end the service year without learning a skill that would be a plus to their education.  After the camp, Corps members should be better monitored so that they do not idle away their time in places where they are not adequately engaged.  There is a lot to be done in this country that Corps members can help to achieve.  If they are not gainfully employed, they should be learning skills.

     

  • Father of late corps member insists NYSC’s negligence killed daughter  

    Father of late corps member insists NYSC’s negligence killed daughter  

    ….Friends wants Buhari to caution Minister over statement on her death

     

    Olawale Oladepo father of the late corps member, Ifedolapo, who died in Kano Orientation Camp of the National Youth Service Corps, Monday, insisted that his daughter was killed due to negligence of officials of the NYSC.

    A retired sanitation officer, who spoke with reporters in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, expressed gratitude to President Muhammad Buhari for asking for an investigation in to the circumstances that led to the death of his daughter.

    Pledging his cooperation to any panel to investigate his daughter’s death, Oladepo said he had not been informed of proposed autoposy on Ifedolapo.

    He contended that the family would want the panel to listen to the conversations between Dolapo and her sister on a communication network before she died.

    He also commended the Governor of Osun State, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, members of the National Assembly, members of the Osun State House of Assembly and the media for their interest in the circumstances that led to the death of his daughter.

    Speaking further on the state of health of his daughter before she died, he said:  “Dolapo nursed no ailment before she departed home for Kano at about 6am on Thursday 24th of November and she called at regular intervals along the journey till she got to Kano around 1:00 am the following day. On arrival, she headed straight for the NYSC Orientation Camp with two other friends.

    “I wonder how a person, who participated actively and appeared so radiant in all the pictures she sent home could, according to the medical certificate of the cause of her death issued by Gwazo General Hospital, died of Kidney infection.”

    The father, who gave an account of all the activities of his daughter to the point of death, attributed the death to negligence and lackadaisical attitude of the NYSC, adding that the NYSC should come out with a vivid account of what happened to the late Ifedolapo between 8:00 am on Monday that she reported to the camp clinic and the time she passed on at 4:00 pm the second morning.

    He said: “The death certificate issued by the Gwazo General Hospital, Kano said she had Sepsis that led to kidney infection. I wonder if truly she had kidney infection. Did the camp have proper medical facilities to have kept her, and why taking her to the General Hospital with no facilities to treat such ailments?”

    Meanwhile, late Ifedolapo’s friends have called on President Buhari to caution the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Comrade Solomon Lalung, against making inflammatory statement that could further aggravate the agony the parents and family members of the deceased.

    They accused the Minister of exonerating the NYSC of culpability in the death of Ifedolapo, alleging that he indicated that the remains of Ifedolapo might be exhumed for autopsy to confirm the cause of the death while in NYSC orientation camp.

    Also, speaking with newsmen in Osogbo shortly after Dolapo’s father’s vivid account of events that led to the death of his daughter, the Coordinator of the group, Mr. Oladele Banji, noted that the statement by the Minister had caused further trauma for the family, especially the mother.

  • Restructure NYSC now!

    SIR: Agitations for the scrapping of the National Youth Service Corps scheme appear to have been intensified with the recent deaths of some corpers. Among them a 26-year-old Ifedolapo Oladepo, a First Class Transport Management graduate of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, who died at the NYSC camp in Kano State. She was said to have been unattended to when she was showing symptoms of illness. According to reports, NYSC officials had thought she was merely pretending to be sick in order to avoid taking part in the mandatory physical exercise Director-General of NYSC, Brig-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, later announced that Ifedolapo died of renal sepsis, commonly caused by urinary tract infection.

    Then followed another First Class graduate in Zamfara State camp. Ukeme Monday, who graduated from the Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, also fell ill and died.

    No doubt, the NYSC scheme has contributed to promoting national unity, increased mobility of labour, assisted public schools, hospitals and private bodies to have a steady pool of cheap skilled labour. Apart from that, they are also engaged during elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). For the young graduates, NYSC have been a very good transition from higher institutions to real working life and this has helped them to overcome the uncertainties that youths often entertain in terms of what happens to them outside their home base; where they are not familiar with. Hence, it remains a well-thought out national programme that needs to be saved and nurtured.

    However, the challenges facing the scheme are many. In a bid to cope with the programme despite the odds, universities and relevant authorities are now made to resort into using different unbecoming criteria for selecting prospective youth corps members, thus subjecting the programme to serious manipulations. What happens is that as the number of graduates rises, the existing structures were not improved upon to accommodate the increase and expansion. A good example of this manifestation is the decision of NYSC to mobilise only 35 per cent of eligible graduates for the current batch of the orientation exercise due to lack of funds. This is going to be the second time in two years that NYSC would be incapable of mobilising over 300,000 graduates.

    The way the scheme is being run has become an embarrassment and hence, the persistent call for its scrapping. Federal authorities should go back to the drawing board to design new strategies that would see the scheme through in the current times. Apart from the existing provisions for exempted persons, corps members’ participation in the scheme should, henceforth, be made optional. Candidates should be allowed to freely choose their participation and that would mean making the scheme voluntary and by enabling the eligible candidates to decide. Also, those who opt for exemption should be issued the relevant certificates. In other words, it should no longer be imposed on all the graduates. When this is done, a reasonable amount of candidates would have been pruned-down for effectiveness.

    Again, the Federal Government should fund the scheme better and adequately, considering the fact that the youths that are participating are the future leaders of the country. We should all agree that nothing can be too much to invest in the future of any nation. As a way forward, their allowances should be increased and paid promptly. What they receive presently cannot be said to be realistic in view of the high prices of goods and commodities in the country.

    Also, the continued adoption of drilling and other military training skills should be discontinued. It is no longer relevant because Nigeria is not on the verge of going into war. It has been realised that the physical stress that the corpers are subjected to is too energy-sapping and strenuous. They are fresh brains just trying to learn something new that they are not familiar with.

    There is the importance of putting the necessary infrastructure in place to accommodate the need of the corpers. Specifically, there should be a significant improvement in medical facilities in all NYSC orientation camps across the country as well as the deployment of experienced medical personnel to the medical centres.

    Finally, the security and medical services deployed to the corpers should be improved significantly. This becomes imperative, most especially, during election when corps members are usually targets of violence. If these measures are put in place, the safety of our youth corpers would be better guaranteed, the frequent sad tales coming from our NYSC camps would be greatly minimised and the continued relevance of the scheme would be logically justified.

     

    • Adewale Kupoluyi,

    Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

  • Dead NYSC member’s body to be exhumed for autopsy

    Dead NYSC member’s body to be exhumed for autopsy

    The Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung has disclosed that the Federal Government will exhume the corpse of a 2016 batch B National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Miss Ifedolapo Oladepo, who died at the Kano Orientation Camp.

    The minister spoke with State House correspondents on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    While claiming that the report given by the NYSC was normal and natural, he said that the investigation ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday would require an autopsy of the late corps member who had already been buried.

    “After investigation, they must present their own report on what has happened. But in view of the fact that there are many versions on what led to the death of the NYSC member, it would be fair to look at another version of what happened to be sure of what actually transpired.

    “It doesn’t have to do with not trusting the process; but gauge the report alongside other opinion, then, we will now be able to tell Nigerians that this is the circumstance on how she died.

    “Don’t forget that the report of the NYSC has no autopsy and an independent investigation will require an autopsy and now the autopsy alongside the report will balance and it will fortify the conclusion the government will make,” he said.

  • Health, food concerns at NYSC camps

    Health, food concerns at NYSC camps

    Three deaths in a week at three National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps during the ongoing 2016 Batch B (Stream 1) orientation have sparked concerns about the state of health and other facilities in those camps.  Some Corps members tell their stories 

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says it will probe the death of three Corps members in three camps during the 2016 Batch B (Stream 1) orientation.

    Ifedolapo Oladepo died in Kano, Chinyerum Nwenenda Elechi in Bayelsa, and Monday Asuquo Ukeme in Zamfara.

    Their death raised questions about the quality of healthcare, residential facilities and food as well as sanitary condition in the camps.

    Reacting to their death, which occurred last week, the NYSC Director-General, Brig-Gen Suleiman Kazaure, said all orientation camps were provided with adequate health facilities and personnel to meet emergency needs and make referrals where  necessary.

    Presenting a report to the Minser of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, in Abuja on Tuesday, Kazaure also defended the NYSC’s response to treating Ifedolapo.

    He said: “There are no student doctors as all athe doctors are fully certified by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).

    “The camp clinic in Kano orientation camp, as in all the camp clinics nationwide, runs 24-hour service.  Hence, she received atention at 3am on November 28 when her friends brought her from the hostel.  The camp clinic in Kano was well stocked with essential drugs for a non-surgical hospital.”

    Kazaure added that Ifedolapo died of renal sepsis, an illness she must have had before coming to camp.

    However, many Corps members are not happy with the state of facilities in their camps. They complained about lack of drugs and inadequate care in clinics.

    A Batch ‘A’ corps member at Paikoro Camp, Niger State,  told The Nation that camp doctors, mostly corps members, neglected her friend.

    “Doctors in camp are so carefree maybe because they are Corps members like you. They behave anyhow. My friend almost died in camp because of this same negligence.  She went to the sick bay to complain of serious chest pain. She was told to go for parade first.  She returned from parade with the same pain. The queue was something else. She begged to be attended to immediately as the pain was severe. Her plea fell on deaf ears and by the time she was attended to, she was given just a pain reliever.

    “They did not even try to diagnose the cause of the pain. When she went back to her room and laid down on her bed, top bunk, she could not talk anymore. Before she could call her friend on the next bunk, she found herself on the floor. She fell from the bunk and was rushed to the camp clinic. That was when they started running up and down.  She was admitted over night while her family was contacted. However she was later redeployed,” she said.

    Another corps member serving in Lagos, who simply called himself Opeyemi, said the clinics were not equipped to make diagnosis.

    “Considering the facilities, I work at the camp clinic. We only have first aid materials so we can only stabilise and not actually diagnose or treat,” he said.

    Chioma, who is at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja, said the clinic lacked drugs.

    “On the first day on the field, after registration, they announced that all corps members that were ill should register at the sick bay. They have never joined us for the rigorous trainings.

    “The camp clinic is always under- stocked. The people awarded the contract to stock it with emergency drugs always tended to do away with the money and subsequently the clinic waits for philanthropists to donate drugs.

    “A pharmaceutical company donated drugs to us recently and we found it all stolen the next day.  It is quite sad,” said Chioma.

    A Corps member serving in Kano State where the late Ifedolapo died said drugs are not enough.

    “We don’t have good health facilities here at all because they don’t have drugs. Drugs are never readily available so most times, when people fall sick, the camp lets them go home. Even very basic drugs are not available. Others just manage themselves the way they can,” she said.

    The situation is not very different in Edo State NYSC Camp located in Okada.

    A Corps member said she could not get drugs to treat her cold from the clinic.

    “Our clinic is not so good. The corper doctors attending to us are good but they don’t have enough drugs. When I came to camp, I had cold and I went to the clinic. They did not have the drugs the doctor recommended so they just gave me one dose of antibiotics. Of course the cold did not go. I still have that cough till now and I have gone to the clinic repeatedly. Sometimes, they will tell me to come back tomorrow that they don’t have the drugs I need today,” she said.

    However, the situation is not so bad in some other states where corps members said they got treated in camp.

    Obinna Uzoke, a batch ‘A’ Corps member in Lagos State, said he got adequate medical attention when he needed it.

    Uzoke  said: “I camped at the Ipaja camp. Our camp officials were very attentive and supportive. Our needs or complaints were attended to as soon as we voiced out. The camp soldiers were also kind, they were not too strict.

    “I got injured in camp while participating in the athletic competition. i had bruises on both legs and i was immediately attended to. i was rushed to the camp clinic where corps members doctors attended to me though they were supervised by real medical personnel. I also noticed that all drugs required to treat me were readily available.”

    Ibukun Durosinmi who is at the Nasarawa NYSC camp, said the testimonies have been good.

    “Ever since I came here, I have not been to the clinic before.  But those who went there only told me that the clinic attend to those with mild cases such as malaria, fever, and other minor illness. When there are emergencies, I learn they take them to hospitals outside the camp,” she said.

    Bisi Zainab who is currently serving in Jigawa State, said she was well catered for at the clinic too.

    “I remember when I took ill, I was quickly attended to. The drug may not be perfect but at least it cured my illness,” Zainab said.

    Dayo Johnson (not real names) from the Ogun State camp in Sagamu, said the camp clinic runs well.

    “The clinic is good. I have seen occasions where they have sent patients in an ambulance to the Ogun State University Teaching Hospital, due to their conditions,” he said.

    To address the problems with camp clinics, Dr O. Abiola of Anchors Diagnostic Centre, Ikorodu, advised the NYSC to upgrade the clinics to go beyond first aid.

    :The NYSC should focus on administering full treatment aside applying first aid alone otherwise it should just ensure only those medically fit should be in camp,” she said.

    Former Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos and the Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Prof Tolu Odugbemi, advised that apart from providing medical facilities, the NYSC should screen corps members.

    “There should be proper pre-entry medical checks for the grduates going for NYSC,” he said.

    Beyond investigating health issues, corps members also want the DG to know that camp accommodation and toilet facilities, as well as the food, are not the best.  However, the situation differs from camp to camp.

    The toilets and the food are a sore point for many corps members.

    A corps member in the Lagos camp said inadequate toilet facilities forces corps members to practice open defecation, a health and environmental risk.

    “The condition of our toilets is very bad so most people result to shot put – that is using nylon to defecate and throwing it away – because they are afraid of getting infection from the toilets.

    “Now the faeces are thrown all around that we perceive them even in our hostel halls.

    “Last Sunday, after church service we were asked to clean our surroundings. A pit was dug and each corps member was required to throw some of these nylons that contain faeces into the pit using different long sticks. Do you know the implication of that? Somewhere already removing maggots and smelling terribly! Some corps members were actually vomiting. But the soldiers surrounded us and made sure we did it.”

    The camp officials are nice and the clinic is functional at the Okuku camp in Kogi State.  But Mary, a corps member, said “shot put” is not strange in her camp either because the toilets are dirty.

    “The toilet facilities are very poor. They are very dirty and cannot even be used by most of corps members in my halls. So we rely on shot put,” she said.

    While Dayo says the Ogun State camp looks good on the outside, he said overcrowding has become its bane.

    He said: “The hostels are jam-packed. In my hostel, there are about 50 double bunks, which translates to about 100 people and our room does not have even one fan. We only have three doors and nine windows. It is very stuffy. We find it difficult to sleep at night because of the heat. Also, the toilets are so bad. They have people who come to clean them every day but that does not help. The toilets are too few for thousands of people we have here. They have pit latrines and water closets, yet people keep developing different infections every day.”

    But the toilets in Kano State camps do not seem to be so bad.

    Ibukun in Kano said: “Honestly things are generally okay here.  The environment is good. Our toilet and bathrooms are also okay though not perfect.”

    Zainab however said corps members are also to blame for the poor state of the toilets in the Jigawa State camp.

    “The toilets are usually clean but we often mess it up and that makes it increasingly difficult for some of us to want to use it,” she said.

    Unpalatable meals seem to be common in most camps such that many corps members rely on buying food from the Mammy Market set up with each camp.

    Mary complained about the food served in the Kogi camp, saying; “The food we are given is very poor.  It can even make you sick if your immune system is not strong so most people rely on food sold in the Mammy market,” she said.

    Dayo, like Mary, also prefers to buy his food than eat what the camp’s kitchen provides.

    “I don’t eat camp food, I buy food from Mammy market and the food there is quite nice,” he said.

     

  • Should NYSC be scrapped or kept?

    Should NYSC be scrapped or kept?

    Last week, social media was awash of how Ifedayo and some other corpers died, and how they were buried in the NYSC uniform (which they didn’t get to wear in their lifetime). This was not the first time such thing was happening to corpers.

    One of my friends on facebook, who is at NYSC camp in Bauchi wrote on his timeline, ” he said the Bauchi weather is too hot and NYSC should be scrapped’.

    In Nigeria, after 4 years of tertiary education (university or polytechnic), students are eager to serve their fatherland, with parents and guardians who are supporting them.

    But that is the perfect scenario,unfortunately,due to what is going on, parents are scared and people are lamenting because there is no time, NYSC students don’t get killed.All these are very painful to parents, sending children to higher institution is like investment.

    In an interview with Ajayi Ayokunle, a recent graduate of Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH) ‘ He said NYSC should be scrapped but government should rather be giving them 50 thousand Naira after school just to compensate them.

    Also,during a whatsapp chat with Tolulope Samuel, a graduate of University of Ilorin, ‘ he said NYSC should Remain. but government should look into what causing the problem, set up a committee make amendment and government should keep their eyes on the corper during their services.

    James a computer engineer said NYSC should be scrapped,’In the sense that most student who they posted at the Northern part of Nigeria are usually killed’.‘He said according to the NYSC rules when you are above 29 years you cant serve, and we have student who are 30 years still schooling and some dont go to higher institution due to their age. so to me NYSC should be scrapped”

    Famuyiwa Damilare, also a respondent  said ‘ NYSC should be scrapped; the one year used for the service should be used for a better thing instead of using it to match on a street’

    In conclusion government should look into NYSC and make it comfortable to student.
    Like posting the people who are form South within the South, who are from North within the North and who are from East within the East because they are used to the atmosphere of the place.

    And government should ensure he revisit the welfarism of the corps members

  • Corps member died of kidney infection, says NYSC DG

    Corps member died of kidney infection, says NYSC DG

    Oladepo Ifedolapo Rachel, the corps member, who died last week in Kano State, suffered from kidney related disease, it was learnt yesterday.
    Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brig.-Gen. Sule Kazaure, yesterday presented the report on her death to the Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, in Abuja.
    Kazaure said: “The deceased corps member, who is a graduate of Transport Management from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho, registered at the Orientation Camp on Friday, November 25. On November 27, at 5pm, she first appeared at the camp clinic with complaints of headache and fever which she said she had been experiencing for two days.
    “On examination, the doctors noticed rashes on her legs which she claimed started appearing as a result of her using a second-hand knicker without washing.
    “The doctors treated her with Arthemeter 160mg, Piriton tablet and Paracetamol and released her.
    “At about 3am on November 28, Ifedolapo was brought back to the camp clinic by her colleagues, with further complaints of vomiting and general body pains. After further examination, the doctors noticed that the rashes on her legs had increased, which she still dismissed as reaction to using second-hand knicker. She was thereafter admitted at the clinic and treated with Drazamol injection and Piriton to soothe her body pains as she was already on malaria drugs.
    “At about 8am on November 28, Dr. Morowei Woyingo examined the deceased and inquired about any history of drug or food allergy which could have resulted in the rashes. The deceased still insisted that it was a reaction from the second-hand clothes. The doctor thereafter administered hydrocortisone 200mg for a start.
    “The doctor proceeded to invite her colleagues who converged by 9am to further examine the deceased. They noticed that the fever and body pains had subsided but the rashes on her trunk and lower limb were still obvious. They concluded that in view of the treatment she had already taken and the vital body signs normal, she should be placed on observation with IV fluid (normal saline). And that if the condition did not improve, the deceased will be taken to the hospital for a more authoritative investigation and treatment.
    “As plans were being made, the deceased called her doctor at home, who requested to speak with the doctors at the camp clinic. Her home doctor further affirmed to the CMD at the camp clinic that the line of treatment given was good and the drugs administered were normal. It was at this point she complained she had not urinated for some time. This was the note of alarm that hastened her referral to Gwarzo General Hospital by 4pm.
    “The deceased was accompanied by two doctors from the camp clinic, including the CMD and the nurse who was seconded to the camp clinic from the same General Hospital. They arrived at the hospital 30 minutes later and met the doctor on duty, Imran Ibrahim. Doctor Ibrahim, after examination, immediately ordered for full blood count, kidney function test, hepatitis and HIV. From the result of the investigation, the doctor concluded that the deceased had kidney infection, probably due to an untreated Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)”
    “Since the potassium level was high, the deceased required immediate dialysis which was only available at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, about two hours drive away. To survive the gruelling journey, the doctor decided to stabilise her by administering gluconate overnight.
    “The investigation showed that the deceased responded well until about 2am on November 29 when her condition worsened, and her body began to show noticeable signs of fluid retention. She was thereafter placed on oxygen as the doctors battled to stabilise her for the long journey to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. She finally died at about 4am on November 29.”
    Describing allegations of negligence on the part of NYSC as unfounded, Kazaure said the Orientation camp clinic had 31 qualified and registered Doctors, 20 Pharmacists and 11 Nurses.
    “There are no student Doctors as all the Doctors are fully certified by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
    “The camp clinic in Kano orientation camp, as in all the camp clinics nationwide, runs 24-hour service. Hence, she received attention at 3am on November 28 when her friends brought her from the hostel. The camp clinic in Kano was well stocked with essential drugs for a non-surgical hospital.
    “There was no delay in referring the deceased to the secondary hospital when the camp clinic doctors noticed her case was beyond what they could manage.
    “Apart from being the closest secondary hospital to the camp, Gwarzo General Hospital is not a village hospital as being insinuated. It is a standard General Hospital established in 1970 as a Zonal Referral Hospital with surgical theatres. It currently has 11 doctors, and is reputed to be one of the busiest in the whole of Kano State.
    “We have also established that at no time was the deceased left unattended at the General Hospital as the Nurse who accompanied her is a staff of the Hospital. Her close friends, Oladokun Folake (KN/16B/09640) and Mohammed Tayyiibah (KN/16B/0963), who were by her side throughout at the camp, also attested to the prompt attendance by Doctors at the camp clinic.
    “Like many corps members do upon arrival at camp, it is clear she had an ailment which she did not disclose. From the doctors’ report, Ifedolapo died of renal sepsis occasioned by infection.
    “Even to the untrained, kidney infections do not develop and degenerate to the level of mortality in three days.
    “Ifedolapo was neither forced nor harassed to take part in any parade at the time of her ailment. There was no parade, since the swearing-in ceremony had not taken place when she fell sick,” Kazaure added.
    Dalung described the circumstances that led Ifedolapo’s death as unfortunate.
    While sympathising with her family, Dalung urged Nigerians to always verify information before forming conclusions.
    He said the Federal Government will do everything within its powers to support and sustain the NYSC scheme rather than scrape it.