WorldStage Newsonline– President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned the newly constructed 261 Nigerian Air Force Reference Hospital in Bauchi, saying, it would reinforce the national trauma medical support for critical emergencies such as natural or man-made disasters.
President Buhari disclosed that the hospital was part of the growing commitment to enhance the welfare of troops in the theatre of operations, adding that the counter insurgency efforts would be enhanced by the location of this medical facility because of its proximity to the theatres of operation.
“The strategic goal is that more lives will be saved from operational injuries”, he explained.
The president however, commended the NAF for initiating and completing this facility while urging it to ensure sustainability of maintenance and quality delivery of service to members of the AFN and the civil populace and NAF for reviewing its order of battle in response to current and emerging threats facing the country.
The establishment of the medical facility became necessary to specially provide additional medical support for members of the Armed Forces involved in counter insurgency operations in the Northeast.
Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, stated that the services of the hospital would also be extended to civilians, which had been the tradition in the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), adding that the hospital is part of the efforts of the current NAF leadership to reform the healthcare system of the Service and to support the on-going counter insurgency operations by ensuring the availability of immediate quality medical care to those injured in active service.
CAS stated that the NAF was using its medical facilities in its campaign of “Winning Hearts and Minds of the populace”, which has been a major component of its counter insurgency strategy in the Northeast.
He also specially thanked the President for putting the Service on a trajectory that is fast restoring its glory, noting that under his administration, 15 new aircraft had been inducted into service with another 4 set to be inducted before the end of 2018 while 12 hitherto grounded aircraft had been reactivated.
The CAS then pledged that NAF personnel, under his leadership, would re-double efforts to ensure the security of Nigerians and uphold the present democratic ideals for the progress and prosperity of our fatherland.
Minister of Defence (HMOD), Mansur Dan Ali, said that the task of nation building and security could only be achieved if the safety of the citizens and territorial integrity of a nation are guaranteed.
He noted that the construction of the NAF Base and the hospital took the leadership of the NAF less than one year to accomplish. He therefore appreciated the President for empowering the NAF to achieve the feat and also congratulated the CAS for his purposeful leadership.
The HMOD added that the state-of-the-art facilities in the hospital was a testimony of the Federal Government’s commitment to provide the best possible medical care to members of the AFN as a whole. He also commended the NAF for greatly contributing to the maintenance of security and the defence of democracy.
The newly commissioned NAF Reference Hospital is a 60-bed hospital that consists of an Accident and Emergency Unit, Intensive Care Unit, Twin Theatres, Radio Diagnostic Unit as well as Renal Dialysis, Ophthalmic, Dental, Physiotherapy, Maternal and new born units in addition to a mortuary.
