The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Thursday in Abuja, conducted a simulation exercise with a configured C-130H aircraft to support national response to COVID-19 pandemic.
SEE ALSO: Nigerians berate FG for conducting emergency airport exercise after coronavirus entered Lagos
The configured C-130H aircraft is meant to carry 30 specialised stretchers (litters) per sortie, which could be expanded to 72, along with 6 attendants.
The simulation (demonstration) exercise conducted by NAF flight Nurses with Aeromedical Evacuation and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) experience, was an effort by the Service to enhance the capabilities of its personnel to further support the National response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking during the Simulation Exercise by the NAF Nurses and Crew of the C-130H aircraft trained on Flight Aeromedical Evacuation Systems, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said that the configured C-130H aircraft would helped to evacuate patients of coronavirus in an emergency situation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the Simulation Exercise which was conducted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was also the graduation ceremony for the nurses and crew of C-130 aircraft.
Abubakar also said the aircraft would be used for evacuation of wounded troops especially in the North East by the military to ensure that they were given adequate care while being moved to hospitals.
He said that before now, the service used to evacuate injured personnel in the battle field with same aircraft but without the life support equipments, adding that the innovation would boost the morale of fighting troops.
The air chief tasked graduands to continue to train and build their capacity to enable them keep up with the latest trend in their speciality for enhanced professional performance.
.
On production of coronavirus Test kits by the NAF, Abubakar said the service would not delve into research to produce COVID-19 Test Kit as the service has already made tremendous progress in the production of ventilators and Personal Protective Equipments.
The personnel had undergone a 7-day training aimed at enhancing the knowledge of participants in Flight Aeromedical Evacuation Systems, as well as Aircraft Security and Aviation Safety to enable them carry out envisaged airlift tasks in relation to the current health emergency more effectively and efficiently.
In preparation for the conduct of Aeromedical Evacuation missions, whenever required, a C-130H aircraft has been configured to carry 30 specialised stretchers (litters) per sortie, which could be expanded to 72, along with 6 attendants.
The C-130 aircraft is well equipped with COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Ventilators, Oxygens as well as other other life supporting equipment
needed to stabilize and provide comfort to the patients before they get to Isolation and Treatment Centres.
Leave a Reply