NAF gives succour to Bayelsa flood victims
“Oh God, where do I start from? The flood has taken away everything I have; not even slippers to wear, no clothing, and my children are out here in the camp sleeping in adverse weather and exposed to mosquito bites. God, where did we go wrong? The pain is too much; we now sleep here like homeless people.”
That was the lamentation of a flood victim, Mrs. Comfort Okobo, at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp in Igbogene, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, where medical personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) organized a five-day free medical outreach for flood victims.
This year’s flood had hit several areas in Bayelsa State, with residents not knowing which area would be taken over next by the flood. This has left in its trail diseases such as malaria, typhoid fever, diarrhea.
Since the 2012 flood disaster in the state, people are always prepared whenever the rainy season approaches but despite several measures put in place by residents to control the flood, the water level kept increasing until it was beyond control.
Victims who have now taken refuge in different IDP camps are exposed to cold, malaria and typhoid fever, which was why when the medical personnel from the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters arrived the camp last Thursday, the joy of those who benefited from the outreach knew no bounds.
For the first time in several weeks, the people had the privilege of getting insecticide-treated mosquito nets, just as pregnant women, children, the aged and youths were diagnosed and drugs were administered to them free.
Mr. Isaac Ivara, a flood victim, expressed delight with the gesture, saying most of them could not afford the drugs given to them, as well as other items like tents, blankets, nets and food.
Speaking during the flag-off of the medical outreach, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar, who was represented by the Air Officer Commanding NAF Mobility Command, Yenagoa, Air Vice Marshall Napoleon Bali, said the medical outreach was part of the Force’s corporate social responsibility which is carried out all over the country.
“This initiative is carried out all over the country to assuage the sufferings of persons displaced by flood in different parts of the country and also help in the treatment of those who might have contacted some diseases associated with the flood,” he said.
“This free medical outreach is in line with NAF’s corporate social responsibility and is designed to help in uplifting the unhealthy condition of flood victims in Bayelsa State. The outreach will feature eyes test, glucose test, blood pressure, malaria and other medical operations and drugs administered to them,” he added.
Bayelsa State Deputy governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd), while speaking during his visit to the camp, lauded the Nigerian Air Force for the outreach, adding that the military has the necessary training and equipment that can be mobilized at the shortest possible time to intervene in disaster management.
He said: “The scale of assistance being rendered by the Nigerian Air Force is unexpected; this is a completely filled hospital with all the skills required to carry out any medical feat.”
“I am told that already six IDPs are in the Air Force hospital and surgeries are being planned for them. This means that the force is prepared to render every level of medical assistance because they have the specialists that will carry out those tasks.”
He called on the federal government to establish shelter centres in the eight local government areas affected by the flood, to accommodate displaced persons.