THE Nigerian Army, on Saturday, said that more than 2,000 people had benefited from the free `Medical Outreach’ to commemorate the 2017 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) slated for July 6.
Brig.-Gen Ismaila Isa, Commander of 13 Brigade, who made this disclosure in Calabar, explained that the humanitarian exercise was carried out because of the necessity of good health to humanity.
Isa added that the medical outreach was also carried out to enhance confidence building with the public and to achieve a better working environment for security operations.
According to Isa, the Nigerian Army owes it a duty to provide some humanitarian services to the people with a view to fostering the existing civil-military relationship in the state.
“The NADCEL is scheduled to hold on July 6; as part of the celebration, we are carrying out this free medical outreach for the people of Calabar Municipality and Calabar South,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the beneficiaries were tested for malaria, blood pressure, hepatitis, typhoid fever among others; drugs were also given to them.
One of the beneficiaries, a 67-year-old Mrs Glory Okon, who was tested and given drugs for malaria, thanked the Nigerian Army for the kind gesture.
Earlier, the commander led soldiers of the barracks and their counterparts from the Amphibious Training School (ATS), on a sanitation exercise at the popular Watts and Marian markets in Calabar metropolis.
NAN also reports that the soldiers swept and evacuated refuse from the gutters and disposed them at the waste site.
Also, hundreds of residents in the state came out en-masse to watch the sanitation exercise carried out by the Army.
A Calabar resident, Mr Paul Akan, told NAN in an interview that he was shocked to see senior Army officers with shovels and brooms in their hands, cleaning the gutters and evacuating refuse dumps.
“I can’t imagine what I am seeing this morning, I must commend the Nigerian Army for this show of love in keeping the environment clean,’’ he said.
A market woman, Ms Eno Archibong, told NAN that she was scared when she saw a large crowd of army personnel in the market, adding that she was surprised to see them sweeping and cleaning the gutters.
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