The Chief Of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Isiaka Amao, on Tuesday harped on excellence from the pioneering medical doctors of the Nigerian Airforce Family Residency Training Programme.
Amao made the call during the inauguration ceremony of the Family Medicine Residency Programme conducted at 661 Nigerian Airforce Hospital, Logistics Command, Ikeja, Lagos State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme started on June 1, 2021 with five doctors.
The CAS said that the pioneer medical doctors who were benefiting from the programme should note that an enormous responsibility had been placed on their shoulders.
“Let me sound a bit of warning that the duration of this programme is fixed and starts counting from June 1,2021.
“You are expected to achieve certain milestone at specified intervals and failure to do so will result in sanctions in line with the rules and regulations guiding the Nigerian Airforce courses.
“I, therefore, expect excellent performance as you instill discipline while promoting core values of integrity, service before self and excellence in all you do throughout the duration of the training,” he said.
Amao said that he was delighted because the event marked another step toward the fulfilment of two of the key drivers of his visions for the Nigerian Airforce.
He said that the visions included pursuit of purposeful training and human capacity development as well as boosting morale by improving personnel welfare.
“From the time I assumed office as CAS, we have continued to accord high quality to purposeful training as a major tool for human capacity development.
“The Nigerian Airforce must function efficiently, both as a highly technical service and as a fighting force, for the effective defence of the Nigerian territorial integrity.
“Therefore, it must have the right quantity and quality of manpower and other relevant competencies,” Amao said.
The CAS said that the Nigerian Airforce had sustained purposeful training and retraining of personnel across core Nigerian Airforce specialties, including the medical services.
He said that during the 57th anniversary of the force, the Telemedicine Medicare Programme was introduced into the service.
“The essence of telemedicine is to ensure that Medicare is available to all personnel, irrespective of their locations at all times.
“Additionally, our Nigerian Airforce surgical team recently and successfully performed a first minimal invasive surgery also known as laparoscopic surgery.
“The advantage of this surgery is that it does not leave any scare or perforation on the patient and recovery period of the patient is shortened with no surgical complications,” Amao said.
According to him, the Nigerian Airforce Medical Service has secured approval to conduct residency training programmes for doctors following the accreditation of the programme by the West African College of Physicians.
“This is the beginning of residency training in the Nigerian Airforce in which I will facilitate the aggregation of residency training and other specialties in due course.
“I congratulate the Chief of Medical Service and the entire medical service branch for a relentless effort in making the residency training programme a reality.
“I urge you all to ensure that the programme meets globally accepted standards required to produce excellent consultant family physicians,” the CAS said.
Amao expressed his appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for his continuous support to the armed forces in general and the Nigerian Airforce, in particular. (NAN)
