NAF provides free medical services to 15,000 patients in edo

AS part of its corporate social responsibility, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has unveiled plan to meet the medical needs of 15,000 people in lrhirhi community in Oredo local government area of Edo State, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has disclosed.

Speaking yesterday in Benin at a medical outreach programme, Abubakar said that the initiative was designed to meet the general health needs of NAF host community in Edo.

According to him, the objective of the medical outreach was to help ameliorate the health burden of the community and to further enhance a cordial relationship by ensuring the availability of quality medical care to host communities.

Abubakar said: “The efforts by NAF has endeared communities to freely and willingly provide useful intelligence that has helped NAF to record significant successes in all theatres of operations she is involved.”

He advised the beneficiaries to avail themselves of the golden opportunity and participate in the free medical outreach programme while it lasted for two days.

Group Captain Nasiru Saidu, Commander 107 Air Maritime remarked that the community which is one of the host communities to the 107 Air Maritime Group, Benin, has enjoyed a cordial relationship with NAF since the establishment of Air force Base in Oko.

He said free medical outreach programmes have been one of the major interest of the Chief of Air Staff especially as it related to social responsibility to host communities, adding that the  medical outreach will provide free consultation, treated mosquito nets, surgeries if necessary, laboratory investigations, prescription and dispense drugs and issuance of eyeglasses among others.

Dr. Irowa Osamwonyi, the Permanent Secretary Edo Ministry of Health, who represented the Commissioner for Health described the free medical outreach as unique adding that it would address the health need of the people.

He added: “It will improve the relationship between the community and the airforce and make the people feel that the military is for the people.”

The Odionwere (elder) of the community, Pa Omoruyu  Osemwunghe, who was also one of the beneficiaries, commended the NAF for prioritising the health of the host community.

Osemwunghe appealed to the government to rehabilitate the primary school in the area.