The Niger government on Tuesday said that five communities in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state would benefit from the free medical treatment offered by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
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Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger made this known while inaugurating the three day free medical exercise at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Kuta, Shiroro Local Government Area.
“This commendable gesture by the NAF will go a long way in complementing the state government’s effort in improving the living standard of the IDPs,” he said.
Bello, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security, Brig. Gen. Imam Abubakar (retired) said that government was making efforts to resettle the IDPs back to their ancestral homes.
He said that the communities that have being in camp for three months now include Masuku, Maguga, Zangoro, Kwaki and Palali.
“Government is working with the NAF and other security agencies to tackle security challenges in some parts of the state. We are sure that very soon the security challenges will be a thing of the past,” he said.
He thanked the the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar for the gesture.
Similarly, Grp. Capt. Aliyu Tanko, Director of Public Health and Humanitarian Services, NAF Headquarters, Abuja said that the CAS approved the programme because displaced people are vulnerable to diseases.
Tanko said that the free medical services would undertake general consultation, general surgery, eye clinic and general test.
Others include de-worming, free medicine, free eye glasses, health counseling, referral cases and provision of free insecticide treated mosquito nets.
Earlier, Alhaji Suleiman Chukuba, Chairman, Shiroro Local Government Council, who thanked NAF for the gesture, also commended the state government for providing food and other needs for the IDPs.
Mr Adamu Aliyu, Health Officer in charge of the IDPs, said that the affected persons were over 7,000 but many of them took refuge in Minna while others stayed with relatives in neighboring communities.
He added that this reduced the current number of persons in the camp to 2,659.
Aliyu said that over 10 pregnant women have put to bed in the camp.
Hajiya Murjanat Iliya, who has a two week old baby boy, thanked government for catering for them.
Iliya appealed to government and spirited individuals for medicine and other health consumables to tackle health issues on the camp.
NAN reports that 10 local government areas of Shiroro, Rafi, Munya, Tafa, Paikoro, Gurara, Mariga, Mashegu, Lapai and Borgu in the state have been under the siege of suspected bandits for some time now.