Air Force Provides Medical Outreach to Lagos IDPs
As part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), has provided a comprehensive medical care outreach for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Lagos. According to the air force, the essence of the two-day medical outreach was so that the IDPs can have access to adequate healthcare.
Thus, over 500 IDPs from Festac, Satellite and Ajah camps in Lagos were subjected to various medical screenings and treatments conducted by personnel from NAF Medical Services at the United Nations Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs, Ikoyi.
Themed ‘we care, we share’, the inauguration was witnessed by the Federal Commissioner, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, the Acting Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago, Garth Lamsee and NAF’s Director of Humanitarian Services, Air Commodore Harold Onyechi.
In her remark, Farouq commended the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar and the Chief of Medical Services, Air Vice Marshal SM Shinkafi, for taking the lead in providing medical care for IDPs across Nigeria.
She said: “The NAF is not only living up to its constitutional responsibility of securing our land, airspace and overall territorial integrity, but also engaging in humanitarian assistance to our persons of concern.
“Plans are in earnest to ensure that the IDPs are resettled as soon as possible in their home communities. There are also plans to equip them with self reliant skills so that those of them who may not wish to be voluntarily relocated to their states when it is time, would have a viable means of livelihood.” According to her, the commission was conversant with the current spate of internal displacement in the North-east and the attendant issues being faced by these persons of concern in the areas of health, shelter, food, education, among others. She said: “It is therefore one of the major policy drives of this government, to not only ensure that all persons of concern are properly catered for, but also proffer durable solutions, which encompasses resettlement and return of IDPs to their previous places of abode.
“This medical intervention is an important activity in a series being carried out in collaboration with NAF and is expected to be a continuous exercise, involving more IDPs in this zone.” Some of the services rendered to the IDPs include eye test, dental clinic, antenatal, general outpatient services, laboratory services and outpatient pharmacy.
Lamsee who donated some consumables to the IDPs on behalf of his country, said he feels a moral responsibility to stand in solidarity with the IDPs in recognition of their horrific humanitarian crisis.