Molly Kilete, Abuja

Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says that it has placed four of its military hospitals on standby to support the Federal Ministry of Health in combating the spread of the COVID19 pandemic in the country.

The hospitals, according to the DHQ, are well equipped with facilities to quarantine infected patients and operate as treatment centres.

The four hospitals are the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), hospital, Abuja; 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna; Military Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Military Hospital, Yaba, Lagos State.

The Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, who made this known at a media briefing in Abuja, also said the military would continue to carry out its operational duties across the country, the COVID19 crisis notwithstanding.

Related News

He explained that the military can not suspend its operations in the country because, as he puts it, “operations are not conducted in enclosures but in the open.”

Gen Enenche, who was responding to reporters’ questions on military preparedness for the COVID19 and whether the military would order a lockdown of its operations, said: “I want you to know that four of our military hospitals have been put on standby and with facilities as part of contributions to support the Federal Ministry of Health.

“We have all four of them with adequate facilities to quarantine and eventually treat.

“As a backup, like what we are hearing in other countries to enforce lockdown, if there is going to be a lockdown, yes, we have the resources to lock down if it comes up,” he said.