The Nigeria Air Force (NAF), 203 Combat Reconnaissance Group and Operational Base, has begun a two-day free medical treatment of 3,000 persons in Gombe State.
AVM Charkes Ohwo, Air Officer Commanding Special Operations, NAF Headquarters, stated this at the inauguration of the exercise on Thursday at Lawanti Village in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.
Ohwo said the exercise was designed to treat less privileged persons, who lack the means to access quality healthcare services in its host communities.
He said the exercise also focused on the treatment of diseases identified based on community assessment needs in the area.
The Service deployed team of medical personnel to treat malaria, offer dental and eye care services as well as de-worm children.
Other services to be provided include free laboratory analysis, distribution of mosquito nets and eye glasses to persons with impaired vision.
According to him, the exercise is part of the corporate social responsibility to promote civil-military relations, and urged the people to avail themselves the opportunities by participating in the exercise.
“NAF offers such services to our host communities; discuss issues freely with them, know their challenges and take it to the appropriate places for proper attention.
“This is to say thank you to our host communities, and we are willing to partner with them at any time,” he said.
Dr Manasseh Jatau, the deputy governor of the state, commended the gesture, adding that it would go a long way to address health challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
Jatau said the government ad accorded priority to the improvement of healthcare service delivery in the state.
He pledged continued government support to facilitate successful implementation of the medical outreach.
Also speaking, Lamido Abdulsalam, the District Head of Lawanti Village, lauded the gesture, noting that the establishment of the NAF base had improved the social and economic wellbeing of the people in the area. (NAN)
