By Doris Esa
Abuja – The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has begun a six-day medical outreach for 4,000 patients in Agatu Local Government Area in Benue.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, announced this in a statement in Abuja.
Daramola said the outreach was part of the efforts of the Service to enhance civil-military relations with the host communities of NAF Bases across the country.
AVM Oladayo Amao, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Tactical Air Command (TAC), NAF Makurdi, said the exercise was in fulfillment of a promise by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, when he activated and formally inaugurated the NAF 21 Quick Response Wing (21 QRW) Agatu on Oct. 19, 2018.
According to him, Abubakar then promised to direct the Chief of Medical Services Headquarters NAF, Abuja, to organise a medical outreach for medical needs of the community.
He told the beneficiaries that medical consultation, drugs, laboratory investigations, visual acuity checks and eye surgeries, treated mosquitoes nets as well as medicated eye glasses, would be provided free of charge for them.
Amao, who was represented by the Command Operations Officer, Air Commodore Usman Abdullahi, also hinted that critical cases would be referred to the 161 NAF Hospital Makurdi.
The programme was witnessed by a large turnout of residents, including the representative of the Chairperson of Agatu Local Government Area , Mrs Comfort Echida, as well as the traditional ruler of Agatu, Chief Godwin Onah.
Grp. Capt. Azubuike Chukwuka, the Director of Public Health and Humanitarian Services Headquarters NAF Abuja, was also at the event.