Over 7,000 Wounded in Action (WIA) soldiers have been successfully treated at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital (44NARH), Kaduna, Acting Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital, Colonel Stephen Onuchukwu, told a Senate delegation led by Senate President, Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan.
Colonel Onuchukwu said the WIA officers and soldiers were those brought to the Hospital since the Counter Insurgency operations began.
He told the Senate delegation during their visit on Saturday that the hospital, which is international standard, was improving it’s services to both the military and civilian population in order to be fully registered withe the United Nations (UN).
According to the Acting CMD, “most of such wounded officers and soldiers, especially from the front lines, are brought to Kaduna for treatment where we prioritise their medical needs and prepare those that require surgery within 24 hours.
“There has been a kind of cultural shift in the past few days. Initially, most of the amputees were no longer useful but with the model improved services, most of them are still being retained and trained in computer hardware repairs, among others, to enable them fit into new office engagement.
“We have enhanced programmes helping the amputees that will enable them to work as non-combatants. For now, more than 7,000 of them have passed through the hospital within this period that we have counter insurgency.”
Responding, the Senate President said: “We will make conscious efforts to pay a physical visit to the military across the country. We are here to show compassion and empathy to people who have given everything to defend the territorial integrity of the country.
“Second, it is also an opportunity for us to see first hand how we can be more responsive to the needs of our military hospitals because, beyond compassion and empathy, there are responsibility and obligations as people who represent Nigeria.
“After the civil war in Nigeria, there was never a time that our military men have been involved in warfare as we have now, which means that some of our officers and soldiers will be challenged with wounds that require hospitalisation.
“As a country, we are supposed to provide more resources to cater for the needs of such wounded in action officers and men. I want to commend the Nigerian Armed Forces for putting so much effort to tackle all the security threats across the country. We appreciate them for remaining loyal to the commander-in-chief and the constitution.
“They deserve all support from the government and all citizens of the country. To do otherwise is being unfair to the arms forces. Therefore we have to give them what they require though we may not be able to give them all they want.
“This National Assembly will do everything to provide resources for you. As you may be aware that there is a complementary budget before us and as soon as we vacate this anniversary recess, NASS will expedite action to grant the request of Mr President on that supplementary budget. Apart from that, the 2022 budget will provide more resources for the Armed Forces.”
The visit was part of the activities to commemorate the second anniversary of the ninth Senate. Similar visit was also paid to the Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) camp at Wassa, the suburb of the Capital City of Abuja on Thursday.
The delegation to the military Hospital was received on arrival by the GOC 1 Division, Major General Danjuma Alikeffi and the Acting Medical Director of the Hospital, Colonel Stephen Onochukwu.
Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai later joined the delegation at the hospital and kept their company all through the visit.