- The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has continued its efforts at alleviating the plights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the northeast
- NAF currently having a 2-week medical outreach for IDPs in Maiduguri and Damboa local government areas of Borno state
- The theme of the outreach is “Alleviating the Medical/Surgical Needs of IDPs in Maiduguri and Damboa”
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has commenced a 2-week medical outreach for IDPs in Maiduguri and Damboa local government areas of Borno state.
NAIJ.com gathered that the theme of the outreach is “Alleviating the Medical/Surgical Needs of IDPs in Maiduguri and Damboa.”
Nigerian Air Force medical doctors operating on one of the patients. Photo credit: NF
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According to a statement by the NAF's Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal, Olatokunbo Adesanya, the outreach also involves surgical interventions for those with complicated and critical health challenges.
The leader of the NAF medical outreach team, who is also the Director of Public Health and Humanitarian Services at Headquarters NAF, Group Captain Azubuike Chukwuka, said the outreach programme was at the instance of the Chief of the Air staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, to assuage the sufferings of the IDPs as well as enhancing civil military relations, as part of the ‘winning the hearts and minds’ strategy of the NAF.
Some of the beneficiaries of the Nigerian Air Force free eye surgery. Photo credit: NAF
Since the commencement of the exercise on Tuesday, February 13, the NAF medical outreach team has conducted a total of 71 eye surgeries and 31 general surgeries on IDPs in Maiduguri and Damboa.
At Damboa alone, 32 eye surgeries and 10 general surgeries have been conducted on IDPs, after screening 682 of them who had various eye-related ailments.
Some women receiving mosquito nets from the Nigerian Air Force medical doctors. Photo credit: NAF
In addition, the NAF medical outreach team has so far provided free medical treatment to 590 IDPs at Damboa alone. Therefore, a total of 1272 IDPs have been successfully attended to in Damboa while more are expected to benefit from the NAF humanitarian intervention scheme, which is still ongoing.
“The beneficiaries were full of appreciation to the NAF for the humanitarian gesture and therefore thanked the CAS for the initiative, which had reportedly added much value to their lives.
“The beneficiaries also called on well meaning Nigerians and organisations to emulate the NAF noting that the intervention could not have come at a better time than now as most of the IDPs cannot afford the cost for such surgeries if left to foot the bills,” the statement said.
Nigerian Air Force medical doctors distributing medications for locals during the outreach. Photo credit: NAF
It is significant to note that the NAF had carried out such free medical interventions in all geo-political zones of the country, with the most recent successfully conducted at Enugu, Bakassi and Makurdi.
According to Group Captain Azubuike Chukwuka, the exercise is expected to end on Thursday, March 1.
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Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor Ołuwatoyin Temitayo Ogundipe, has expressed the desire of the institution to have closer ties with the NAF in the area of research and development.
Ogundipe, made this known when a team from the university paid a courtesy call on the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
Ogundipe, who was represented by the deputy vice chancellor in charge of development services, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, used the occasion to congratulate the NAF on the recent induction of its first indigenous operational Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
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Source: Naija.ng