NAF flags off 3 day medical outreach for 3,000 IDPs in Niger State

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has begun a 3-day medical and surgical outreach for victims of armed banditry from Chukuba and Kwaki Communities in Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State.

The 3-day outreach, which commenced on Thursday, 20 June 2019, is expected to provide free healthcare services to about 3,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), including women, children and the aged, who are currently camped at Erena Primary School in Shiroro LGA.

The humanitarian initiative is in furtherance of the directive of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, to the NAF Medical Services Branch to provide immediate succour and alleviate the plights of the victims of banditry attacks.

Speaking during the Flag-Off Ceremony, the leader of the NAF Medical Team and Director of Public Health and Humanitarian Services, Headquarters NAF, Group Captain Ali Tanko, stated that the Team would be in Erena IDP Camp for 3 days to attend to about 3,000 patients, while those requiring general and eye surgeries would be operated upon.

According to him, the medical outreach would also provide free medical consultations, laboratory tests, free drugs, insecticide-treated mosquito nets, visual acuity checks, de-worming of children as well as distribution of prescription eye glasses to about 1,000 persons from the affected communities.

The first day of the medical outreach witnessed a large turnout of IDPs who were treated for different medical conditions.

The beneficiaries, who were visibly elated by the gesture, expressed appreciation to the NAF for the services provided by the Medical Team.

The Commander, 351 Base Services Group, Minna, Air Commodore Kabir Usman, Commader 011 Quick Response Force Minna, Divisional Police Officer of Erena as well as the District Head of Kwaki and other community leaders attended the Flag-Off Ceremony.

Ibikunle Daramola
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force