In another gesture towards ameliorating the hardship of those affected by the activities of armed bandits, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has extended free medical services to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Faskari Community, Faskari Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State. This is coming just a few days after the conduct of a similar medical outreach in Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State. The medical outreach is part of the NAF’s non-kinetic, civil-military relations efforts aimed at providing succour to all those who had been displaced from their communities due to recent attacks by armed bandits. This is just as the Service has ramped up efforts to address the banditry challenge with the deployment of additional air assets to Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara and Katsina States.

The 3-day free healthcare services, which commenced yesterday, 24 June 2020, would also be accompanied by the distribution of palliatives such as blankets, toiletries, footwear, drinking water as well as food items and condiments, amongst others, to the IDPs. During the outreach, there will be free consultations, health education, immunization and de-worming of children, distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, dental services as well as visual acuity checks and provision of prescription eye glasses.

While flagging off the medical outreach, the Director of Primary Health, Faskari LGA, Hajiya Rabi Abu Safiyanu, who represented the Head of the LGA Administration, was full of appreciation for the NAF's timely free medical intervention, which she believed would go a long way in alleviating the medical challenges of the IDPs. “We are very happy and grateful to the Nigerian Government and the NAF for the timely intervention,” she said. She therefore urged the IDPs to avail themselves of the opportunity by coming out in their large numbers to access the free healthcare services being provided by the NAF for the 3-day period.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, the Director of Public Health and Humanitarian Services, NAF, who is also the Leader of the NAF Medical Team, Group Captain Ali Tanko, disclosed that they were in Faskari on the directive of the CAS to attend to the immediate medical needs of the IDPs in the community. He noted that the medical outreach would run for 3 days during which free healthcare services would be rendered to the people to further enhance civil military relations.

The beneficiaries, who were mostly women and children, equally expressed their appreciation to the CAS and the NAF for the kind humanitarian gesture. Dignitaries at the flag-off ceremony included the Representative of District Head of Faskari, Sarkin Yamman Katsina, Alhaji Lawal Aliyu Saulawa; the Director of Administration Faskari LGA; the NAF Deputy Director of Civil Military Relations, Group Captain Musa Aileru, as well as other senior NAF officers and officials of Faskari LGA.