NAF commences medical outreach for IDPs in Rann, over 3,350 to benefit
- A 3-day medical and surgical outreach for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) has commenced
- The programme commenced by NAF would provide free primary healthcare and curative services, general and eye surgeries, medicated glasses and mass deworming
- The outreach is projected to cater for over 3,350 IDPs
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), on Tuesday, April 10, commenced a 3-day medical and surgical outreach for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Rann IDP camp, Borno state.
Legit.ng gathered that the medical outreach, which would last till Friday, April 13, was initiated by the NAF leadership to avoid humanitarian catastrophe due to the recent withdrawal of humanitarian services by Non-Governmental Organisations from Rann, following the recent attack by remnants of Boko Haram terrorists.
The outreach which is at the instance of the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, would provide free primary healthcare and curative services, medicated glasses, mass deworming as well as general and eye surgeries.
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According to a statement sent to Legit.ng by the NAF spokesman, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, treated mosquito nets would also be distributed to the IDPs as the outreach is projected to cater for over 3,350 IDPs while between 40 and 65 would benefit from surgeries.
“On the first day of the medical outreach, patients with major complications that required surgeries were airlifted by the NAF Agusta 109 LUH Helicopter to the NAF’s 105 Composite Group in Maiduguri.
“So far, 9 IDPs had benefitted from general surgeries while 8 others also benefitted from eye surgeries, all at no cost to the beneficiaries," the statement said.
While speaking during the outreach programme, the Chief of Medical Services, Headquarters NAF, Air Vice Marshal Saleh Shinkafi, noted that medical and surgical interventions were part of NAF’s humanitarian gesture to the IDPs towards ameliorating their health challenges and giving them the opportunity to live normal and productive lives again.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed their profound appreciation to the CAS for the show of love and urged other organisations and well-spirited individuals to emulate the NAF.
The programme is expected to go a long way in wining the ‘hearts and minds’ of the locals, who were displaced from their ancestral homes by the Boko Haram.
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Meanwhile, special forces of the NAF, in conjunction with some Nigerian Army troops, successfully foiled a bombing attack by Boko Haram terrorists at the University of Maiduguri, Borno state on the night of Sunday, April 8.
According to a statement sent to Legit.ng by NAF's spokesman, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, the terrorists tried to gain access into the university but were quickly detected by the NAF special forces.
Nigerian Air Force operations against Boko Haram on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
