Abubakar
Boss
COVID-19: NAF Prepares Medical Personnel on Sample
Collection
As part of capacity building initiatives to help curb the
spread of COVID-19 by improving early detection through the scaling
up of testing, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Medical Services (MS)
Branch has conducted a One-day COVID-19 Sample Collection Training
for its Medical Laboratory Scientists and Technicians. The
training, which was done in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre
for Disease Control (NCDC) and World Health Organisation (WHO)
Nigeria, was held today, 20 August 2020, at the 063 NAF Hospital
(063 NAFH) Abuja with 34 medical laboratory personnel, comprising
16 scientists and 18 technicians, in attendance.
In his opening remarks at the training workshop, the Chief of
Medical Services (CMS), Air Commodore Gideon Bako, who was
represented by the Director, Professions Allied to Medicine (DPAM),
Headquarters NAF, Group Captain David Babalola, recalled that the
NAF, with support from the NCDC and WHO, had earlier trained a
significant number of NAF personnel on patient movement as well as
infection prevention and control, which was also geared towards
limiting the spread of COVID-19 in the NAF. He disclosed that those
earlier trained had subsequently organized step-down trainings for
other laboratory staff. “I am happy to note that the benefit of the
training is already being reaped as all COVID-19 samples of NAF
personnel as well as some sister Services are being collected by
our trained medical laboratory personnel”, he added.
While appreciating the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal
Sadique Abubakar, for approving the conduct of the training, the
CMS stated that the participants would also conduct step-down
training for other laboratory staff in their various units after
successful completion of the sample collection training. According
to him, the development of professional capacity of NAF medical
personnel has continued to receive particular attention
from the CAS. He also expressed gratitude to the NCDC and WHO
for always partnering with the Service in its quest to ensure
qualitative medical service delivery in the NAF. He urged the
participants to take maximum advantage of the training as the
knowledge gained would help to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Commander 063 NAFH, Group
Captain Muzamil Muhammed, stated that the current NAF leadership
has been in the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 through
various support services to national health authorities and
provision of its medical facilities for use as COVID-19 Isolation
and Treatment Centres. He noted, for instance, that 063 NAFH Abuja,
which serves as one of the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s
Isolation/Treatment and Sample Collection Centres, has processed
over 250 COVID-19 samples in the past 4 months. He added that the
current training was organized because of the need to expand the
sample collection capability to many other laboratory personnel,
especially those serving in NAF units outside Abuja.
Some of the areas covered during the training were Laboratory
Bio-safety; Principles of PPE: Donning and Doffing as well as
COVID-19 Sample Collection, Packaging and Transportation. The
One-day training, which also featured elaborate practical
demonstrations, was facilitated by Mrs Ekanem Blessing Udoh and Ms
Ngozi Pamella from the WHO.
IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force
20 August 2020