The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Air Ambulance service has resumed operations after successful routine maintenance and completion of all civil aviation requirements.
The agency disclosed this in a statement signed by Manzo Ezekiel, the Head, Press Unit, NEMA, on Tuesday in Abuja.
He stated that an official inaugural return flight was held, with Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development and the Director-General of the agency conveyed from Abuja to Dutse on an official engagement.
He said that NEMA introduced its first air ambulance for emergency healthcare in 2014.
He added that the aeroplane, which was launched at the Trauma Centre, National Hospital, Abuja, was for quick transportation of patients with emergency cases.
Ezekiel recalled Capt. Ibrahim Mamman, the then Chief Pilot and Head of the NEMA Special Wing, as saying the project was part of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government of the time.
He quoted Mamman as saying “the air ambulance can be used to transport patients with critical and traumatic health situations from anywhere.
“As a matter of fact, the jet can go to anywhere in the world; it has a mile range of 3000 miles.”
He stated that operations of the air ambulance service were grounded in 2018 after it was due for routine maintenance and regulatory requirement.
He added that the repair of the aircraft was completed in 2021 and returned from France.
He said that this year, the present management finalised all regulatory requirements in returning the aircraft to its ambulance operations.
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