Insecurity: 7,403 Soldiers Undergoing Treatment At Kaduna Reference Hospital — Army
THE Nigerian Army said yesterday that about 7,403 soldiers wounded in action (WIA) are currently undergoing medical treatment at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna.
The Acting Chief Medical Director of the 44NARHK, Col. Stephen Onuchukwu, disclosed this while briefing the Senate delegation led by its President, Ahmad Lawan, on the challenges facing the 600-bed army hospital.
The Senate donated N10 million to some of the wounded soldiers undergoing treatment.
Onuchukwu said some of the wounded soldiers were maimed for life and required cutting edge medical facilities to keep them alive.
Onuchukwu, an Orthopedic Consultant, specifically declared that at 44 Army Reference Hospital alone, a total of 7,403 soldiers wounded in action had been received and treated while some were still undergoing treatment.
He said: “Since the war against insurgency, about 7,403 wounded in action military personnel have been evacuated to this hospital for very urgent medical attention.
“While some of such wounded personnel got treated and discharged with different forms of deformities, some are maimed for life.
“Those in this category are the ones with spinal cord injury being assisted with Urethral Implant for them to urinate.
“Some also have their legs and hands amputated as a result of cancerous injuries sustained at the battle fronts.
“These are aside others being rehabilitated from physical, emotional and psychological injuries.”
He said the hospital, among others, has five suites of theatres, an 8-bed intensive care unit, a state of the art radiology department and an endoscopy unit, among others.
He however said despite the increased capacity of the hospital, some special procedures and treatment are still done abroad.
He therefore appealed to the National Assembly, and by extension the Federal Government, to assist the hospital attain the status of UN Level 4 Hospital.
In his remarks, the Senate President, Lawan, assured that the legislature would work with the executive to ensure that the armed forces is properly resourced and motivated.
He added that the N895 billion supplementary budget recently forwarded to the National Assembly by the Presidency for the purchase of military equipment and COVID-19 vaccines would be expeditiously considered and passed, adding that more funds would be appropriated for the military in the 2022 budget.
Lawan said: “The country’s mounting security would expose the military personnel to different forms of injuries, thus the need for more medical facilities to cater for the needs of wounded soldiers.
“We can’t expect so much from you and give you little. That will be unfair.
“Our armed forces deserve the support of all Nigerians. We have to give them adequate resources to protect the country, because everything needs peace and security.”
The Senate delegation along with the Executive Governor of Kaduna State Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and the General Officer Commanding 1st Mechanized Division, Maj-Gen. Ali Keffi, later visited the wounded-in-action patients across the various wards.
Other members of the Senate delegation were the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi; the Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu; the Deputy Senate Leader, Ajayi Boroffice; the Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi; the Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Sahabi Ya’u and the Chairman, Senate Services Committee, Senator Sani Musa.
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