By Nkechi Eze
As part of fostering civil-military collaboration and enhancing emergency healthcare delivery, through its innovative “Air Mobile First Aid” poised to make significant impact on the Nation’s healthcare landscape, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has urged the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) to adopt the Nigerian Air Force College of Nursing Sciences’ (NAFCONS) pioneering “Air Mobile First Aid” training as a national standard. Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame in an official signed statement disclosed that the CAS made this call during the matriculation ceremony for National Diploma I (Set 6) students of NAFCONS, held on 11 April 2025 at NAF Base Kaduna.
Represented by the Chief of Medical Services, Air Vice Marshal Anthony Ekpe, the CAS, noted that the training, Nigeria’s first of its kind, has the potential to revolutionise emergency healthcare across the country. “This initiative is not just a military innovation, it is a national asset,” he said.
“It is time we scale this program beyond NAFCONS, making it a cornerstone in our national nursing curriculum. The future of emergency healthcare in Nigeria depends on it.”
He emphasised that the training focuses on aeromedical evacuation, rapid response in austere environments, and critical military and aerospace nursing competencies.
He also praised the collaboration between NAFCONS and the Nigerian Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine, describing it as “a model of readiness for crisis response and emergency care in complex terrains.”
Air Marshal Abubakar also applauded NAFCONS for setting new standards in nursing education, noting its ability to produce highly skilled, compassionate, and innovative healthcare professionals.
He lauded the institution’s integration of both military and civilian students within a values-driven academic environment, calling it “a powerful symbol of unity and national progress.”
In his welcome address, the Commandant of NAFCONS, Squadron Leader Boyi Elisha, expressed gratitude to the CAS, CMS, and regulatory agencies such as the NMCN and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for their sustained support.
He proudly announced the college’s consistent 100% pass rate in the national nursing licensing examinations and reaffirmed its mission to produce “world-class nurses who are equipped for both civilian and military service.”
The event marked a significant milestone, with 120 students, the college’s highest intake yet, taking the matriculation oath, further underscoring the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to education, healthcare, and civil-military collaboration for national development.
