The Victims Support Fund (VSF), Emergency Support Programme Task Force on COVID-19, has donated 60, 000 rapid test kits to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Presenting the kits in Abuja on Tuesday, the Chairperson of the task force, Mrs Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, said it was part of the organisation’s contribution to the national response to the pandemic.
Akerele-Ogunsiji said the organisation was concerned about the safety of the corps members, hence the need for the support.
She noted that NYSC was one of the most crucial components in terms of high density population across the country.
According to her, the organisation has been supporting the Federal Government’s efforts under the instructions of the Chairman of VSF, Gen. TY Danjuma (rtd.), through its intervention projects.
“VSF has made a donation of 54 boreholes and 216 hand-washing stations to schools in 18 states across the six geopolitical zones, including FCT ..among other interventions (All the Handwashing Stations cost about N350m, while the 60,000 Testing Kits cost N210m).
“We want to see how we can contribute to the containment of the virus through these interventions to reduce the community transmission of COVID-19 across the country.
“The Task Force on COVID-19 is an emergency response team inaugurated by Chairman of the Fund, Gen. TY Danjuma (rtd.),” she said.
Ogunsiji explained that the donation was to provide palliatives to displaced persons and the vulnerable including institutional support to agencies supporting the national efforts to fight COVID-19.
“VSF will continue to provide succour to vulnerable Nigerians as well as institutional support to agencies involved in the fight against Covid 19,” she added.
The Director-General of NYSC, Brig.Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, commended VSF for the kind gesture, saying that the donation was highest so far. (NAN)
