Army boosts civil-military cooperation, conducts healthcare outreach in Taraba

The ancient city of Wukar, in Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba state, last Saturday experienced massive influx of persons seeking for medical help from the nooks and crannies of the entire local government councils that made up the southern geo-political zone of the state to take advantage of the Army free medical outreach that was carried out by members of the operation “Ayem Akpatuma.”

The Patients who thronged out form Takum, Ussa, Ibi and Donga councils, as from the nearby state of Benue, as observed by The Guardian, converged at the East Primary School, located in Wukari to access the free medical outreach, which the leadership of the army team said was aimed at strengthening the civil military relationship in the state and the country at large. Health challenges such deworming, diabetics, dental and eye services, X-Ray, gynecology, ultra sound, among others were not only attended to but the military health experts as well discharged free consultations and treatments.

More to the treated mosquito nets which the army distributed to the hundreds of pregnant women that took advantage of the exercise, the army as also noticed by The Guardian have as well embarked in the renovation of the primary healthcare center located in Ibi as well as in the drilling of motorized borehole. Apart from the free consultation and treatments, free drugs worth millions of Naira, as noticed by our correspondent were also doled out to patients who were attended to by the military health experts.

To disabuse the minds of the people who were earlier skeptic about the exercise, medical experts were as well drawn from the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Jalingo and some private hospitals. Answering questions from media practitioners on the rationale behind the exercise, the Commanding Officer, 23 Brigade Medical Centre, Lt. Col Olayinka O. Ojo, said the aim behind “this medical outreach is to strengthen civil military relationship.”

Overwhelmed by the massive turnout, the military as stated by him, would continued to extend the much needed helping hands to the Taraba community and the Nigeria community at large.

Ojo, who expressed readiness of the army to continue to ensure “civil military cooperation”, pleaded with them to always avail themselves for any military outreach especially “ the ones that have to do with their health.”

Some of the medical personnel drawn from the FMC and private hospitals told our reporter that the collaboration have become relevant in order to ensure adequate civil military relationship in the state.

Speaking on behalf of the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association, Dr. kamah Humphrey, who described the exercise as “ a laudable project” beckoned at the people to take advantage of the exercise adding that “ it is for their betterment.”

A gynaecologist, Dr. Edeh Michael, whom The Guardian noticed was busy attending to women, wished the military would continued with the exercise.

One of the beneficiaries, who gave his name as Haruna Tanko, said the volume of drugs made available to him free of charge by the military, would go a long way in healing him of his ailment.

The Brigade Commander, 23 Brigade, Brigadier Gen. Abdullahi Bello Mohammed, who was personally on ground supervising the exercise, reiterated the determination of the military in the area of civil military cooperation.