The National Youths Service Corps has explained why Magdalene Yohanna’s complaint was not taken seriously until she slumped during a morning parade.
Before, now, reports stated that NYSC officials tried to cover up the incident and refused to comment on it, even during the passing out parade at the end of the three-week camping exercise.
The body has now reacted to the claims by stating how the corps member hid her health status.
Yohanna, who later died in a federal hospital, is said to have denied having any health challenge in the health status form she submitted while registering for the exercise.
According to the NYSC state coordinator, Afolayan James, the deceased’s medical report which she tendered upon getting to the camp did not also indicate she was asthmatic.
James said, “Corps member, Yohanna, reported to camp full of enthusiasm and zeal to serve her fatherland in Bauchi State. Therefore, the corps member did not indicate any health challenge in the registration documents she completed and neither did she complain of Asthma on arrival in the camp.
“Furthermore, the medical certificate of fitness presented by the corps member gave her a clean bill of health.”
He further iterated that no one forced Yohanna to participate in daily activities as against media claims. He explained that during the morning exercises where she slumped, corps members do not go through hectic drillings but merely recite the National Anthem.
James continued, “It was while this was on that it was noticed she was uncomfortable, and medical officials on standby moved her with the NYSC ambulance to the clinic where she was attended to by corps doctors and the resident doctor from the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi. The doctor who is more experienced on examining her commenced treatment for ulcer based on the complaint of pain in the chest and lower abdomen. He also effected her immediate transfer to ATBUTH having assessed that her case should be referred to the hospital.Also her brother who came to Bauchi on being informed of the unfortunate incident equally said she had a history of health challenge of ulcer and that she was discharged from hospital in December 2018, after undergoing treatment.”
He later mentioned that Yohanna’s family refused to let doctors carry out an autopsy procedure but appreciated NYSC’s efforts to rescue her.
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