By Catherine Egwuom
The Triple Green Ace (TGA) International Youth Foundation, says it plans to train and employ young complementary and alternative medicine practitioners, to promote youth empowerment, entrepreneurship and community healthcare.
Dr Evelyn Aderemi, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of the foundation, disclosed this at an orientation programme organised in collaboration with the Lagos State College of Health Technology, Yaba, on Friday in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised for students of the Department of Complementary Health Science.
According to her, the initiative is designed to promote youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, access to wellness services and sustainable community development.
Aderemi said the youth health empowerment NGO, would train 100 students, with plans to expand the initiative to between 100,000 and 500,000 young people across the country.
She said the one-month training would equip participants with practical wellness skills, provide certification and create employment opportunities by establishing wellness centres.
“We want to help them. They have the ideas, but the funds to establish themselves are the challenge. That is where TGA Foundation comes in,” she said.
She said the foundation planned to establish more than 2,000 natural medicine wellness centres across the country, including over 100 in Lagos.
Aderemi noted that the foundation was collaborating with the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board to support eligible participants in obtaining the necessary professional training and licences.
“Since commencing operations in September 2023, the foundation has established four wellness centres and two administrative offices, while empowering more than 60 young people through training, employment, mentorship and capacity-building initiatives,” she said.
She added that the foundation had supported healthcare delivery for more than 10,000 Nigerians, stressing that its operations prioritised professional discipline, ethical conduct, client confidentiality and compliance with regulatory requirements.
Dr Idongesit Danyaro, Director of Health and Wellness of the foundation said the initiative aimed to develop knowledgeable, practically skilled and professionally responsible practitioners, capable of serving their communities.
Danyaro said the programme went beyond equipment training, by providing opportunities for professional development, practical exposure and skills to improve healthcare delivery.
She stressed that health and wellness practice required discipline, competence, integrity and responsibility, adding that practitioners must recognise the limits of their training and prioritise clients’ well-being.
“Technology is a tool in the hands of a practitioner. It does not replace your professional judgement,” she said.
She urged the students to embrace continuous learning, professional ethics, effective communication, teamwork and responsible business practices, noting that professional success should be measured by service to humanity.
Also speaking, Mrs Obiageri Ekwekire, Co-founder and Secretary of the foundation, said the organisation focused on youth development through healthcare education, school development, mentorship and leadership initiatives.
Ekwekire said the foundation aimed to create employment opportunities, reduce unemployment and empower young Nigerians, while expanding natural medicine services globally.
She reiterated the foundation’s plan to establish 100 centres in Lagos and 2,000 across the country.
“We are here to orientate complementary and conventional medicine students about our foundation and the modern equipment used in our centres, where they can learn more about natural medicine,” she said.
She said the foundation had partnered with the Lagos State College of Health Technology to train students, covering the costs of their training, licences and certificates.
According to her, the foundation will also provide training in complementary medicine and other vocational skills, including fashion design and soap-making.
She added that it trained more than 50 students in the previous year.
In his remarks, Prof. Raheem Akewushola, Provost, Lagos State College of Health Technology, commended the foundation’s initiative in promoting complementary health science.
The provost, represented by Mr Jamiu Aremu Wahab, Dean of Students Affairs and Activities, said the programme would empower young people and improve their knowledge of medicinal plants, including their identification and uses.
“Our health is actually in our hands, so we only need our experts in complementary and alternative medicine, to help us shape these properly and administer them to us,” he said.
Some students who participated in the orientation expressed appreciation to the foundation for the opportunity.
Mr Ayomipo Shuarau, President of the Students Association, School of Complementary Health Science, said the programme would equip students with practical skills, professional competence and knowledge of mechanisation in complementary medicine.
“We are grateful to TGA for this opportunity and will do our best to prove that we deserve it. I love the programme and TGA,” Shuarau said.
Miss Olamide Tiamiyu also commended the foundation, saying the one-month training would improve students’ ability to handle medical equipment and provide patient care.
“I believe this training will help us learn what we have not been taught in school and deliver healthcare more effectively,”she said.
Similarly, Miss Iyanuoluwa Bamidele described the training as a valuable opportunity for students, graduates and alumni.
Bamidele said the initiative would complement the college’s efforts, improve practical skills, support research and strengthen professional experience.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
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Edited by Abujah Racheal/Chinyere Nwachukwu
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