Insurgency: 7,403 soldiers undergoing treatment, some permanently disabled, says Nigerian Army

By Sanni Onogu, Abuja

The Nigerian Army on Saturday said that about 7,403 wounded soldiers in action (WIA) are currently undergoing medial treatment at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna (44NARHK).

The Acting Chief Medical Director of the 44NARHK, Colonel Stephen Onuchukwu, disclosed this while briefing the Senate delegation led by its President, Ahmad Lawan on challenges facing the 600-bed army hospital.

This is just as the Senate donated N10million to some of the wounded soldiers in action (WIA), undergoing treatment.

Onuchukwu said some of the wounded soldiers have been maimed for life and required cutting-edge medical facilities to keep them alive.

Onuchukwu who is an Orthopedic Consultant, specifically declared that at 44 Army Reference Hospital alone, a total of 7,403 wounded soldiers in action, have been received, treated and some undergoing treatment.

“Since the war against insurgency, about 7,403 wounded in active military personnel have been evacuated to this hospital for very urgent medical attention.

“While some of such wounded personnel, got treated and discharged with different forms of deformities, some are maimed for life.

“Those in this category are the ones with spinal cord injury being assisted with Urethral Implant for them to urinate.

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“Some also have their legs and hands amputated as a result of cancerous injuries sustained at the battlefronts.

“These are aside others, being rehabilitated from physical, emotional and psychological injuries,” he said.

He said the hospital among others, has five suites of theatres, 8-bed Intensive care Unit, State of an art Radiology Department, an Endoscopy Unit, etc.

He however said despite the increased capacity of the hospital, some special procedures and treatments are still done abroad.

He, therefore, appealed to the National Assembly and by extension, the Federal Government to assist the Hospital to attain the status of UN Level 4 Hospital.

In his remarks, the Senate President, Lawan, assured that the legislature would work with the executive in ensuring that the armed forces is properly resourced and motivated.

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He added that the N895 billion supplementary budget recently forwarded to the National Assembly by the Presidency for the purchase of military equipment and COVID-19 vaccines, would be expeditiously considered and passed and that more funds would be appropriated for the military in the 2022 budget.

“The country’s mounting security would expose the military personnel to different forms of injuries, thus the need for more medical facilities to cater for the needs of wounded soldiers.

“We can’t expect so much from you and give you little. That will be unfair.

“Our armed forces deserve the support of all Nigerians. We have to give them adequate resources to protect the country because everything needs peace and security,” Lawan said.

The Senate delegation along with the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and the General Officer Commanding 1st Mechanized Division, Major-General Ali Keffi, later visited the Wounded in Action patients across the various wards.

Other members of the Senate delegation are the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, Deputy Senate Leader, Ajayi Boroffice, Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Sahabi Ya’u and the Chairman, Senate Services Committee, Senator Sani Musa.