BY Desmond Okon
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says its air ambulance service has resumed operations after completing all regulatory requirements.
NEMA said this in a series of tweets on Friday.
The agency said an official inaugural return flight was held on Thursday, conveying Sadiya Umar Farouq, minister of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, and Mustapha Habib Ahmed, director-general of NEMA, from Abuja to Jigawa states on official duties.
“NEMA Air Ambulance has resumed operations after successful routine maintenance and completion of all civil aviation requirements,” NEMA tweeted.
“An official inaugural return flight was held yesterday, Thursday 11th August, 2022 as the honourable minister Sadiya Farouq and DG, NEMA, Mustapha Habib Ahmed were conveyed from Abuja to Dutse, Jigawa state on official engagement.”
In 2015, NEMA introduced its first air ambulance for emergency health care.
The airplane, which was launched at the Trauma Center of the National Hospital, Abuja, was for quick transportation of patients with emergency cases.
Ibrahim Mamman, the then director, research and rescue of the agency, said the project was part of the transformation agenda of Goodluck Jonathan, former president.
“The air ambulance can be used to transport patients with critical and traumatic health situation from anywhere the individual is,” Mamman had said.
“As a matter of fact, the jet can go anywhere in the world; it has the mile range of 3000 miles.”
However, in 2019 operations of the air ambulance service were grounded, due to repair and spare parts issues.
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