Written by
Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has achieved a major milestone in combat medical preparedness following the accreditation of its Air Mobile First Aid Unit by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT) in the United States.
The development was confirmed after the successful completion of the first-ever NAEMT-accredited Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) training held in Nigeria between May 13 and May 28, 2026, in collaboration with the German Technical Advisory Group.
With the accreditation, the Air Mobile First Aid Unit of the Nigerian Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine in Kaduna now joins a select group of certified training centres in West Africa authorised to deliver internationally recognised combat medical training.
The Tactical Combat Casualty Care programme is a globally adopted military medical training system designed to improve survival rates on the battlefield. It focuses on lifesaving skills such as bleeding control, airway management, trauma stabilisation, and evacuation under combat conditions.
According to a statement by Director of Public Relations and Information,
Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame , the training aligns with global best practices in battlefield medicine and is aimed at strengthening the capacity of personnel involved in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations across the country.
Also , the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, described the accreditation as a strategic boost to operational readiness, noting that effective battlefield medical response remains critical to mission success and force protection.
He said the ability to save lives in combat situations directly enhances operational effectiveness and supports national security objectives.
During the graduation ceremony, the NAEMT course coordinator formally presented the accreditation to the Commandant of the Air Force School of Medical Sciences and Aviation Medicine, Air Vice Marshal A.C. Ekpe, officially activating the unit as a certified training centre.
Participants who completed the programme were awarded internationally recognised certificates and course insignia, while instructors and officials exchanged souvenirs to mark the partnership.
The Commandant congratulated the graduates and urged them to apply their training with professionalism, noting that the value of the course lies in the number of lives they are able to save in operational environments.
He also commended the Chief of the Air Staff and international partners for their support, describing the accreditation as the beginning of a new phase in combat medical training within the Nigerian Air Force.
The Air Force says the development will further strengthen its operational capabilities while improving emergency medical response in both military and humanitarian operations.