By Francis Ogwo
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has, in response to the growing figures of Coronavirus infections among health workers in the country, embarked on the mass production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be used by its medical personnel working in NAF hospitals.
This was made public by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, while making an address at the inauguration of a 20-bed isolation centre and ultramodern swimming pool at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Bauchi.
AM Abubakar said the Nigerian Air Force is committed to supporting the fight against COVID-19 by providing airlift support for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“Today, we are here to inauguration a 20-bed isolation ward and an ultramodern, world class Olympic standard swimming pool. These projects are geared towards further enhancing the competence of our personnel, to enable them carry on assigned tasks, especially bordering on national security in the defence of our great nation.
“Let me remind you that the task of nation building is a collective responsibility, especially with the dynamics of the current security challenges facing our country. It is therefore, our duty to continue to generate excellent combat elements that can appropriately protect the lives and properties of our citizens.
“The Olympic standard pool that will be inaugurated today is designed to ensure that trainee Special Forces personnel receive robust, well rounded training to include watermanship skills to enable them operate effectively in marine and riverine terrains,” he said.
Speaking further he said, “The Nigerian Air Force in the recent past, has contributed and will continue to contribute its own quota to the fight against COVID-19 by providing airlift in support of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control as well as embarking on the mass production of Personal Protective Equipment for its hospitals.”
Abubakar also revealed that NAF had also procured a medical grade oxygen for government hospitals from the 103 STG LOX plant in Yola and recently enrolled the Nigerian C-130 as an air ambulance that can evacuate 98 patients safely to locations with competent personnel.
He added that it constructed the isolation ward to prove that NAF is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that the Nigerian medical system meets global standards of equipment, especially in pandemic situations such as the one currently faced.
It would be recalled that the Nigerian Air Force, apart from its primary duty in territorial protection of Nigeria and its current onslaught against terrorists in North Eastern Nigeria, has been actively involved in the fight against COVID-19 through airlifting and emergency services.
