The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Saturday commissioned the NAF School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine (NAFSMSAM) at the NAF Base in Kaduna.
The School has three colleges within its span of control and it’s tasked with the initial training of nurses and medical technicians in the allied medical fields such as pharmacy, medical laboratory, and preventive health services.
According to a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Ibikunle Daramola, an air commodore, the institution
is also expected to organise upgrading and refresher courses for various categories of NAF Medical Services personnel which are aimed at exposing them to global best practices in aviation medicine.
In his remarks during the commissioning ceremony, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Sadique Abubakar, an Air Vice Marshall, said the School would, no doubt, help in bridging the manpower requirement gap as well as add significant value in enhancing the human capacity of the Medical Services, thereby ensuring NAF personnel are healthy and safe to effectively discharge their duties.
Abubakar noted that even before its commissioning, the School had commenced training activities and, as such, had been discharging some of its assigned roles and responsibilities.
According to the CAS, in August 2019, the School churned out the first set of students for A1 upgrading courses for NAF pharmacists and medical laboratory technicians.
It has also organised two streams of refresher courses for NAF nurses and an orientation course for NAF’s newly commissioned officers of the Medical Specialty.
Additionally, he revealed that the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria had recently granted the School accreditation to train nurses.
Abubakar disclosed that the School was therefore ready to admit its first set of NAF students for training in general nursing.
The CAS stated further that the commissioning of the School and takeoff of the College of Nursing marked the end of the First Phase of the School’s development.
He explained that the NAF was ready to partner with relevant professional bodies and councils to gain accreditation to run courses in various areas of need.
The CAS emphasized that, beyond the effort made to ensure that the School was commissioned, the NAF had been taking other measures to motivate its medical personnel.
The air chief revealed that the Service has sponsored a number of medical personnel on courses and conferences locally and abroad. “I have also approved for the Service to take over the payment of professional licensing fees of medical personnel.
He added that: “The infrastructural developments of the Service necessitated the establishment of new hospitals and medical centres across the country to provide adequate medical support for NAF operations as well as members of host communities”.
In his welcome address, the Chief of Medical Services (CMS), Gideon Bako, an Air Commodore, noted that the School would serve to provide the requisite manpower for enhanced medical services in the NAF, while also driving the reorientation and attitudinal change of medical personnel towards patient-focused service delivery.
Bako stated that the School is the flagship of the commitment of the CAS towards enhancing personnel welfare through the provision of quality healthcare.
The air commodore added that the NAF now has three reference hospitals and many medical centres upgraded with modern diagnostic and therapeutic equipment for the benefit of NAF personnel, their families and host communities
While appreciating the Chief of Air Staff for his vision and foresight in establishing the NAFSMSAM, the CMD recalled that it was under his leadership that the then Directorate of Medical Services was upgraded to a Branch status.
In recognition of their past service and dedication to duty, four retired NAF Medical officers, namely;Air Vice Marshal Saleh Shinkafi, Air Cdre Aisha Abdulahi, Group Captain Olayinka Periera and Group Captain Rakia Omar, had facilities in the School named after them.
