The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has rendered free medical services to at least 1000 vulnerable people and victims of insurgents in the Konduga Local Government area of Borno State.
The Commander, 105 Composite Group of NAF Base, Maiduguri, Air Commodore Caleb Olayera, spoke during the event in Maiduguri on Saturday.
He said the outreach, which is part of activities lined up to mark the 60th anniversary of the NAF, covered children, pregnant women, and the elderly in the Gomari community in the suburbs of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
He said the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, is committed to transforming the NAF into an agile and resilient force to effectively meet the air-power demand of national security in all operational units in the country.
He added that the NAF in its efforts to combat terrorism has engaged in a non-kinetic approach to win the hearts and minds of the citizens
“Not fewer than 1,000 persons were treated for malaria, diabetes, hypertension, typhoid fever, and ulcers. We also provided free dental treatment, health talks on personal hygiene, and environmental sanitation, as well as the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets to expectant mothers.
“The medical outreach is a form of NAF corporate social responsibility. We believe that it would strengthen the cooperation and bond between the host community and the NAF Base Maiduguri.”Olayera maintained.
He noted that children have been dewormed and free eye tests and glasses were provided for elderly people after cross-examination by the medical team, while blood sugar tests were also conducted on the beneficiaries.
In his remarks, the Ward Head of the Ngomari community, Bulama Alhaji Kolo appreciated the Nigeria Air Force for the kind gesture, saying those who benefited are mostly vulnerable people and victims of insurgency conflicts.
He said that the gesture is an indication that there is a good relationship between the civilians and the military, adding that with the current economic situation in the country, this would surely reduce the burden of already overstretched people in the communities.
One of the beneficiaries, Unice Adediran thanked the NAF for the opportunity given to them to access free medical care.
She, however, called on other organizations and individuals to emulate such gestures of the Nigeria Air Force free medical outreach.
