The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says its medical services branch has begun a two-week de-induction programme for Special Forces returning from combat operations in the North-East.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.
Adesanya said the programme was the first of its kind in the history of NAF.
He said the exercise was aimed at ensuring the physical and mental well being of combatants before they were reunited with their families and re-integrated into the larger society.
He said that it was also to ensure that personnel with post-traumatic stress disorder such as anxiety, nightmare and psychological depression were adequately treated.
“While serving in the North-East, some of the personnel could have developed physical and mental stresses as well as direct physical/combat injuries.
“The effects could last for a long period well after leaving the combat zone, hence the need for the programme,” the director said.
The Chief of Medical Services (CMS) NAF Headquarters, AVM Saleh Shinkafi, said a team of various health professionals such as psychiatrists, physicians and clinical psychologists had been constituted to conduct the de-induction programme.
According to the CMS, NAF would take full responsibility for any personnel found to have any medical problem now or in the future and would also monitor them closely for a few months after the programme.
Shinkafi commended them for their commitment, dedication to duties and sacrifices made in the fight against insurgency.
He stated that the re-integration process was part of the efforts of the current NAF administration to add value to the lives of its personnel.
(NAN)