The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has stepped up its campaign on Yellow Fever awareness by holding a sensitisation lecture on the ailment at the 211 Quick Response Group (QRG) in Owerri, Imo State.
According to the statement released by Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola who is the NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information on Friday 15th November 2019, the Yellow fever awareness lecture which was held on Thursday, 14th November 2019, is in furtherance of the quest by current leadership of the NAF, headed by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, to ensure that the healthcare needs of personnel of the Service and its host communities are well catered for.
The event, which took place within the premises of the NAF Hospital in Owerri, witnessed a large turnout of community heads and members of not less than 4 communities surrounding the Unit, namely Umuotuke Umowa, Nekede, Agbala and Naze.
The Yellow fever awareness lecture majorly addressed the causes and mode of transmission of the disease as well as the risk factors, clinical presentations, management and prevention.
While making his remarks during the event, the Commander 211 QRG, Group Captain Elisha Bindul, stated that due to the increasing spread of the disease in other parts of the country, it became necessary to enlighten personnel and their families as
well as host communities on necessary preventive measures, which include vaccination as well as maintenance of high levels of hygiene and elimination of conditions amenable to the breeding of mosquitoes.
He noted that the awareness programme, which also featured the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets to over 300 participants, would facilitate the design of appropriate control strategies.