IDPs: NAF Establishes Field Hospital in Bama for Humanitarian Support

By Senator Iroegbu

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), in furtherance of its humanitarian support to victims of the Boko Haram terrorism, has established another field hospital to cater for the healthcare needs of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Bama.

The Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, in a statement yesterday, said the latest facility makes the second field hospital to be established by the NAF in Borno State to cater for IDP needs, with the first being in Dalori IDP Camp.

Famuyiwa stressed that the Bama IDP Camp, before now, had been in dire need of additional medical facilities as the only medical outfit established by UNICEF was already overstretched and lacking the requisite facilities and manpower to adequately cater for over 9,450 IDPs in the Camp.

He said that the establishment of the new NAF Emergency Hospital is expected to ease these challenges as well as alleviate the sufferings of the IDPs while the Federal Government perfects the plans for their return to their villages.

He said: “The purpose of the NAF humanitarian efforts is to endear the victims and gain their support for the NAF, and by so doing to acquire the necessary intelligence needed to successfully prosecute the on-going counter insurgency and counter terrorism operations.

“The new 35-bed hospital was commissioned by  the Executive Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kassim Shettima who lauded the initiative, describing it as another measure by the NAF to save lives aside its fighting to protect them.”

The NAF Spokesman, said that Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has assured that the air force will continue to do everything within its ambit to provide necessary assistance towards addressing the challenges facing the IDPs.