The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has commenced a surgical intervention scheme for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the IDP camps at Bama, Dalori and Banki, all in Borno State, the NAF Directorate of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI).
In a release made available on Sunday, DOPRI said the need for the surgical intervention scheme became obvious during the recent series of medical outreach programmes organized by the NAF in those camps and that the scheme will cover general surgeries, obstetrics and gynaecology as well as ophthalmology.
According to DOPRI, the first set of surgeries, mostly eye surgeries, being the most prevalent, was performed at the Medical Centre of the NAF’s 105 Composite Group in Maiduguri on 8 July 2017.
The scheme, which is the brainchild of the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, is to enable the NAF win the 'hearts and minds' of IDPs, who were displaced from their ancestral homes by Boko Haram Terrorists. The NAF’s soft power approach in fighting insurgency, in addition to its military campaign, has impacted greatly on the IDPs and has given them a sense of belonging.
Speaking on the launch of the scheme, the NAF Chief of Medical Services, Air Vice Marshal Saleh Shinkafi, said the surgical intervention scheme was part of the NAF’s humanitarian service to the IDPs towards providing them with the opportunity to have normal and productive lives again. According to him, about 300 surgical cases were initially outlined for the 7-day programme, which is expected to cover 100 IDPs each from Dalori, Bama and Banki IDP camps. However, there were indications that up to 250 IDPs in Banki alone required surgical interventions and the period of the exercise might be extended to cater for the additional needs.
In furtherance of its “soft power” counter-terrorism strategy in the North East, the NAF had organized medical outreach programmes in many IDP camps in the North East, established emergency hospitals in IDP camps, provided surgical interventions to tackle surgery related cases in IDP camps and of late, provided meals to primary school pupils in Dalori and Bama IDP camps.
