DEPOWA Trains 100 Widows/Wives of Fallen Heroes in last 12 Months; To Establish PTSD Diagnostic Center; Army Chief, Lt. Gen Yahaya pledges support.

 The President, Defence and Police Officer’s Wives Association (DEPOWA), Barr (Mrs.) Vicky Anwuli Irabor on Wednesday disclosed that the association has in the last one year trained over a 100 widows of fallen heroes as well as vulnerable youth in various vocations at the DEPOWA state of the arts Skills and Acquisition Centre, further empowering them with one year rent, start-up equipped starter kits. 

She said this was a way of bringing succuor to family members and loved one of officers and soldiers who paid the supreme price at the various theaters of operation in battles to ensure peace and security for the nation.

Mrs. Irabor made the disclosure just as she said, “I have proposed the establishment of a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) rehabilitation support center to evaluate, counsel and provide adequate support to officers and by extension their wives before re-integration from the North East and other operational postings”.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Faruk Yahaya at Army headquarters, the DEPOWA President said, “We have engaged in Troop’s motivation visits specifically at the Theatre of Operation’s (Hadin Kai) in Maiduguri. 

“We have visited the 44 Army Reference Hospital Kaduna, and donated 30 motorized wheel chairs and other hospital equipment to the wounded soldiers as well as the Maimalari Cantonment Hospital to visit the wounded soldiers towards their treatment and rehabilitation as well as provide nutritional aid for recovery. 

“We have engaged in capacity building and development programs for military wives both locally and internationally. We have also visited orphanages and internally displaced persons camps within and outside the military community all channeled towards the non kinetic support to the fight against terrorism faced by our nation.

On the cardinal objective of her visit, Mrs. Irabor said, “Sir, I was happy to find out on 23rd November 2021 that you hosted a seminar addressing Post-traumatic stress disorder in the armed forces. This brought so much joy to us as we applaud your initiative as a great step in the right direction. 

“This is coming at a time when the women have also prioritized PTSD as a major issue for officers’ wives across the country. They have stories, and majority of us wives, can attest to the distinct behavioral traits such as nightmares, anxiety, insomnia, burst of anger, etc suffered by our husbands which are not synonymous with their character before deployment to conflict zones. 

“This has heightened in the last decade, with a continuous flow of officers in and out of the various theatres of operation to curb the insecurity crisis, a challenge which we understand. 

“As a women-centered organization, indeed our priority is our women but we cannot only focus on the women’s welfare if they are experiencing challenges directly linked to their husbands’ welfare and emotional health.

“This is therefore an area where we believe that uniting our voices and collaboration is required to create the solution. 

“I was pleased to see that as the COAS you have begun a campaign on sensitizing the military on PTSD and I believe there is no better time to prepare the next step which is the treatment.

“DEPOWA intends through collaboration with the COAS, to provide solutions through the root cause analysis (RCA). We desire to have a re-integration structure for our officers and husbands to ensure that they return to us in good health and total wellness.

“I have proposed the establishment of a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder rehabilitation support center to evaluate, counsel and provide adequate support to officers and by extension their wives before re-integration from the North East and other operational postings.

“The Armed Forces currently have a good number of hospital facilities across. Military formations in the country. However, our facilities do not provide thorough diagnostics services to tackle some of these emerging challenges relating to Mental health captured in the 2015 United Nations SDG goal 3, a requirement for national development in the 15 year period. 

“To this end, DEPOWA hopes to collaborate with the Chief of Defence Staff and all the Service Chiefs to establish a PTSD Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Centre to effectively map; identify and refer health challenges experienced by officers and members of their household to appropriate channels.

“This facility will also serve as a repository for future research on health challenges in the military to provide better solutions and support”.

The DEPOWA President was accompanied on the visit by the President of NAOWA Mrs. Salamatu F. Yahaya, NOWA President Hajiya Nana Aisha Gambo, represented by Mrs. Juwaira Garba, NAFOWA President Mrs. Elizabeth Amao and POWA President Hajia Hajara Usman Alkali Baba.

While noting that DEPOWA was created as the umbrella body to unify all the wives of serving officers of the armed forces and Police, with the mandate to ensure wives are responsible amid challenges faced by their spouses in the cause of duty, she said, “Over the years, DEPOWA has evolved from being an association of idle women to become an organization strategically poised to harness and refine the potential of all women in the military community, to enable them to create environments of support to their spouses thereby contributing to nation-building. 

Responding, the COAS, Lt. Gen Yahaya appreciated DEPOWA for “keying into our areas of concern especially as it relates to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the challenges of the widows brought about by the battle against enemies of the country/criminal elements.

“I want to urge you not to relent in this drive and we assure you that we will always support you in these laudable efforts. We will support you in the establishment of the PTSD Diagnostic Center.

“I also want to encourage DEPOWA, and other Services Officers Wives Associations to continue to bring succor and smiles to faces of widows in the military and the police whose breadwinners are out there fighting to ensure that we have a secure and stabile country.”

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