NYSC DG Commends West African College of Physicians for Advancing Healthcare

The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has commended the West African College of Physicians (WACP) for its contributions to human capacity development and the promotion of quality healthcare services across the West African region.

General Nafiu gave the commendation when the executive members of the WACP paid him a courtesy visit at the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.

He described the institution as a critical partner in strengthening healthcare delivery through the training and certification of physicians, noting that its role in maintaining professional standards across the region remains invaluable.

The NYSC Director General praised the college for ensuring that medical practitioners are trained in line with global best practices, while urging the institution to intensify efforts at addressing the growing migration of medical professionals abroad.

According to him, the continued exodus of doctors has worsened the shortage of medical personnel in Nigeria, making it imperative for stakeholders to develop strategies that would encourage physicians to remain and practise in the country.

General Nafiu reaffirmed the NYSC's readiness to collaborate with the WACP in initiatives aimed at improving healthcare and human development.

He also highlighted some of the Scheme's interventions, including the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, which equips corps members with vocational and entrepreneurial skills for self-reliance. He added that the NYSC Ventures has continued to support enterprise development through the production of bread, bottled water, poultry products and other goods.

Earlier, the Secretary General of the WACP, Dr. Habibu Galandachi, said the delegation visited the NYSC to seek the Scheme's support for the college's forthcoming Annual General Meeting and 50th Anniversary celebrations scheduled to hold in Nigeria from October 26 to 28.

Galandachi noted that Nigeria, being the largest chapter of the WACP in Africa, stands to benefit significantly from hosting the landmark event, expressing the college's determination to make the celebration a memorable one.

He further commended the NYSC for its contributions to national unity through its deployment policy, which posts corps members to states other than their states of origin, thereby exposing young graduates to diverse cultures and communities across the country.

The WACP Secretary General also acknowledged the NYSC as an important platform for the professional development of corps doctors, saying the scheme provides them with valuable practical experience through service in different healthcare facilities nationwide.