By Victor Akaa.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has called on the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria to adopt the Nigerian Air Force College of Nursing Sciences’ groundbreaking “Air Mobile First Aid” training as a national standard.
According to the Director Public Relations and Information,NAF, Sir Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, on Saturday averred that this innovative programme, which was the first of its kind in Nigeria, has the potential to revolutionise emergency healthcare nationwide.
Represented by the Chief of Medical Services, Air Vice Marshal Anthony Ekpe, Air Marshal Abubakar made this appeal during the matriculation ceremony for National Diploma I students of NAFCONS on April 11, 2025, at NAF Base Kaduna.
The CAS emphasised that the training focuses on critical areas such as aeromedical evacuation, rapid response in austere environments, and critical military and aerospace nursing competencies.
Air Marshal Abubakar appreciated the collaboration between NAFCONS and the Nigerian Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine, describing it as a model for crisis response and emergency care in complex terrains.
“This initiative is not just a military innovation, it is a national asset. It is time we scale this programme beyond NAFCONS ,making it a cornerstone in our national nursing curriculum. The future of emergency healthcare in Nigeria depends on it,” the CAS explained.
He also commended NAFCONS for setting new standards in nursing education, producing highly skilled, compassionate, and innovative healthcare professionals.
Earlier, the Commandant of NAFCONS, Squadron Leader Boyi Elisha, expressed gratitude to the CAS, CMS, and regulatory agencies for their sustained support.
He highlighted the college’s consistent 100% pass rate in national nursing licensing examinations and reaffirmed its mission to produce world-class nurses equipped for both civilian and military service.
The statement noted that the matriculation ceremony marked a significant milestone, with 120 students, the college’s highest intake yet, taking the matriculation oath.
Enugu Reporters reports that the significant milestone development underscores the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to education, healthcare, and civil-military collaboration for national development.
