Epidemic: Federal Govt Approves Defence Outbreak Response Unit

Federal government has restated its commitment to the provision of improved healthcare services for troops and their families.

The permanent secretary, Ministry of Defence, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, who stated this during the opening ceremony of the “Site Commanders/Team Leaders Meeting” disclosed that the government has approved the setting up of DefenceOutbreak Response Unit (DORU) to act as the Nigerian Military Task Force to tackle epidemic within the African continent.

In a statement by the director of press and public relations, MrsVictoria Agab-Attah Kana, he said the dedication of the Nigerian Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme (MODHIP) and US Army Medical Research Directorate-Africa/Nigeria (USAMRD-A/N) is paramount towards strengthening of HIV prevention, care and treatment.

This includes providing support services to military personnel, their families and civilians living within and around the barracks.

“The programme is making huge commitments to prevention, detection and control of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. This requires the building of broad local and international collaborations as well as the strengthening of existing coordinating mechanisms to achieve higher and timely impact.

“In this light, the Ministry of Defence has approved the setting up of Defence Outbreak Response Unit (DORU) to act as the Nigerian Military Task Force that will liaise with the African Partners Outbreak Alliance (APORA) to tackle epidemic within the African continent”, he said.

Kana said the Federal Government of Nigeria and United States’ government’s contributions towards the goals of the programmeare responsible for great strides that have made the partnership a model worthy of emulation.

Earlier in his welcome address, the director-general, Ministry of Defence Health Implementation Programme (MODHIP) Brig. Gen. N.A.E. Okeji (rtd) said the programme was established eighteen years ago with the primary aim of curtailing the scourge of HIV/AIDS among troops, their families, and civilians living in communities contiguous to military barracks.

He said the programme had grown from the initial four Military health facilities to the current thirty-four programme sites, with additional responsibilities to handle emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.