NAF offers free surgical treatment to 300 IDPs

The Nigerian Air Force on Saturday began the free surgical treatment of more than 300 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports.

AVM Sale Shinkafi, Chief Medical Officer, Nigeria Air Force, made the disclosure at the inauguration of the exercise at NAF medical centre in Maiduguri.

He explained that patients were drawn from Dalori and Bama IDPs camps, adding that the exercise was part of the NAF medical interventions designed to alleviate the surgical condition of IDPs in Borno.

“About 100 IDPs with special cases are selected each from three camps to benefit from the exercise.

“This is part of a comprehensive intervention toward improving the health status of the IDPs”.

Shinkafi listed some of the ailments to include cataract, eye impaired vision and hernia.

According to him, the NAF had conducted extended medical outreach to Maiduguri, Banki, Gwoza, Benisheik, Mainok and Jakana since 2015.

Shinkafi said that service had also establish and equip two clinics at Dalori and Bama IDPs’ camps, adding that the clinics have modern gadgets, laboratories, wards, antenatal, dental and eye care centres.

The chief medical officer disclosed that some 150 eye surgeries were conducted in Maiduguri in 2016 while over 35, 000 IDPs received free medical treatment in the area in the past two years.

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“More than 10, 000 IDPs were also treated at the NAF emergency centre in Bama.

“We are also providing psycho-social therapy to traumatized IDPs and cancer screening services,” he said.

Also speaking, Mrs Falmata Bukar, one of the beneficiaries, commended the gesture, saying it would improve the health status of the displaced persons.