The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA Air Ambulance has resumed operations after successful routine maintenance and completion of all civil aviation requirements.
An official inaugural return flight was held as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq and Director General, NEMA Mustapha Habib Ahmed were conveyed from Abuja to Dutse, Jigawa State on an official engagement.
In 2014, 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.
The then Chief Pilot and Head of the NEMA Special Wing of the agency, Captain Ibrahim Mamman said the project was part of the transformation agenda of the Federal Government of the time.
“The air ambulance can be used to transport patients with critical and traumatic health situations from anywhere the individual is,” Mamman had said.
“As a matter of fact, the jet can go anywhere in the world; it has a mile range of 3000 miles.”
However, in 2018 operations of the air ambulance service were grounded after it was due for routine maintenance and regulatory requirement.
Following changes in leadership, repair of the aircraft was completed last year and returned from France.
This year, the present management finalized regulatory requirements in returning the aircraft to its Ambulance operations.
RN
