Nigeria Airforce commissions Isolation ward, Olympic-Size swimming pool in Bauchi

A 20-bed isolation ward and an ultramodern Olympic size swimming pool have been commissioned by the Nigeria Air Force Base in Bauchi.

Speaking at the commissioning on Friday, The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar said that the Force is embarking on the mass production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for its hospitals.

According to the Chief of Air Staff, the projects are geared towards further enhancing the competence of its personnel to enable them to carry on assigned tasks especially bordering on national security in defence of our great nation.

“Let me remind you that the task of nation-building is a collective responsibility especially with the dynamics of the current security challenges facing our country. It is, therefore, our duty to continue to generate excellent combat elements that can appropriately protect the lives and properties of our citizens.

“The Nigerian Air Force in the recent past has contributed and will continue to contribute its quota to the fight against Covid-19 by providing airlift in support of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control as well as embarking on the mass production of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for its Hospitals”

“Consequently, the Olympic standard pool that will be commissioned today is designed to ensure that trainee Special Forces personnel receive robust well-rounded training to include watermanship skills to enable them to operate effectively in marine and riverine terrains”, he said.

According to him, it is because of this development that there is a need for continuous training and pro-activeness, which can only be guaranteed by a healthy workforce.

Abubakar said that the Nigerian Air Force has also provided Medical grade oxygen for Government Hospitals from the 103 STG LOX plant in Yola and recently enrolled the Nigerian C-130 as an air ambulance that can medically evacuate 98 patients safely to locations with capable hospitals.

According to him, the construction and commissioning of the 20 bed Isolation Ward is also a proof of the NAF’s resolve to ensure that hospitals are properly equipped to face the contemporary challenges of medical practice in today’s world especially in response to emerging infectious disease threats globally.

In his address, the Air Officer Commanding, Special Operations Command, Bauchi, Air Vice Marshal Charles Owho, said that the Isolation ward would in no doubt enhance safer medical practice by checking the spread of infectious diseases and enhancing infection prevention and control especially now, given the rising COVID-19 cases across the country.

“On the other hand, it is worthy to note that the Olympic size swimming pool was built to enhance the swimming capabilities of the NAF Special Operations Force who are sometimes deployed in marine or riverine areas,” he said.

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