NAF offers free surgical treatment to 150 IDPs

No fewer than 150 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri are to benefit from a two-week free surgical treatment initiated by the Nigerian Air Force.

Group Capt. Ali Tanko, the Director Public Health and Humanitarian services, Air Force Headquarters, made the disclosure at the inauguration of the exercise on Friday in Maiduguri.

Tanko said that the exercise was part of the Nigerian Air Force medical interventions designed to treat and enhance medical conditions of displaced persons in the country.

He said the Air Force command had deployed a surgical team to Maiduguri to facilitate smooth conduct of the exercise, adding that the team comprised Surgeons, Opthomologists, Physicians, Anesthetics and Optometrists.

Tanko said that the patients were drawn from 10 IDPs camps in Maiduguri, noting that the service would also conduct a medical outreach at an IDPs camp in Rann.

The director listed the benefiting camps as Bakassi, NYSC, Teachers House, CAN centre, Shuware, Gubio, Goni Kachilari, Farm centre, Muna Garage and Dalori.

“The exercise will include general surgeries to treat diseases such as hernia, appendix, gangilon, fibroid and prostrate cancer.

“The patients that include women and children will be provided with free medications and feeding during their period of recuperation.

“At the end of the exercise a medical outreach would also be conducted at Rann IDPs camp during which patients will be offered free treatment and those with complications or need surgeries would be referred to our medical centre for medical attention,” he said.

According to him, the service has provided free surgeries and treatment to 202 displaced persons in July in Maiduguri.

Some of the beneficiaries, who underwent surgeries at the 105 Composite Medical Centre, Maiduguri, commended the gesture.

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Malam Kari Fandebe said that he was suffering from an ailment for a long time.

“I am suffering from urinary track disease which makes it difficult for me to urinate. I underwent surgeries to treat the disease,” Fandebe said.

He commended the gesture saying it would go a long way in improving the health status of displaced persons in the country.