Causes of death 2 NSmen who died during training revealed
By Margaret Perry, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 22 October 2008 0043 hrs
SINGAPORE: The causes of death of two servicemen who died during training in June this year were revealed in Parliament on Tuesday.
Recruit Andrew Cheah fainted and died during a two-kilometre walk at Pulau Tekong.
An autopsy showed he died of pneumonitis, an acute infection of the lungs which usually causes symptoms such as coughing, phlegm, fever and difficulty in breathing.
But Recruit Cheah had neither a cough nor fever at that time.
Second Lieutenant Clifton Lam Jia Hao collapsed and died during a jungle training exercise in Brunei.
An inquiry found he died from heatstroke.
Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean told the House that Second Lieutenant Lam was given four litres of water and purification tablets.
But the Board established that he may not have hydrated himself adequately during the training exercise.
Mr Teo said neither case could have been detected through medical screening and no safety breach, foul play or negligence were found on the part of personnel.
The Defence Minister said despite the best efforts to reduce risks in training, it is not possible to guarantee no deaths or injuries.
He said: "Nevertheless, I can assure this House that the SAF will continue to do its best to look after our servicemen and servicewomen in terms of medical screening, proper training systems, training safety procedures, and medical coverage during training activities. They are after all our sons and our daughters and every life is precious to us."
Full-time serviceman Private Joe Foo Wei Rong died during training on September 30. A committee of inquiry has been convened and an investigation into his death is underway. - CNA/vm
Reply by Minister for Defence to Parliamentary Question on Whether Any Additional Measures Will Be Implemented to Prevent Training Deaths
Mr Speaker, Sir, Mr Siew Kum Hong asked, in view of the death of three servicemen during training this year, whether the Ministry intends to implement any additional measures to prevent such deaths. Immediately after the deaths of REC Andrew Cheah (a full-time national serviceman) and 2LT Clifton Lam (a regular serviceman) on 10 and 11 Jun 08, respectively, the SAF took a 3-day time-out to review its training safety systems. The review established that the systems are good and sound. As for the recent death of PTE Foo (a full-time national serviceman) on 30 Sep 08, a Committee of Inquiry has been convened and investigations are ongoing.
I want to assure Mr Siew and members of the House that the safety of our servicemen in training is taken very seriously. Training is progressive and graduated. Over and beyond having sound training systems, there is command emphasis to ensure that our soldiers are well prepared for training and strenuous exercises. For example, the training schedule is designed so that before any strenuous activity, servicemen get sufficient rest and follow a proper hydration regime. An attending medic will be on-site during the conduct of the strenuous activity to deliver prompt medical care. In the event of a medical emergency, there are proper and established procedures to deliver prompt and appropriate medical attention to the serviceman.
Apart from this, commanders look out for servicemen who show signs that they are not feeling well. Such servicemen would be excused from training to seek medical attention. Servicemen are also reminded to tell their commanders should they feel unwell before, during or after any training activity. This is important as it is sometimes not easy or possible to know if someone is not feeling well unless the soldier himself tells his commander.
Mr Speaker, Sir, let me reiterate that the physical well-being of our soldiers is always a priority in the SAF. At the last parliamentary session, I explained to the House in some detail our medical screening process. To recap, before enlistment, all national servicemen are subject to a stringent and comprehensive medical screening process before they are deployed to vocations in accordance with their individual medical fitness.
While in service, servicemen who are selected to go for specialised courses, strenuous training and deployments are required to undergo a Fitness for Instruction (FFI) examination to ensure that they are physically fit for the task.
The SAF medical screening protocols are continually reviewed by independent panels of medical consultants and specialists. They are comprehensive, robust and in line with good international clinical practice.
Mr Speaker Sir, while the SAF provides tough and realistic training to our soldiers, the SAF also maintains high safety standards to ensure that safety is not compromised. However, both Mr Siew and I know that, despite our best efforts to reduce risks in training, it is not possible to guarantee that there will be no injury or death arising from it. Nevertheless, I can assure this House that the SAF will continue to do its best to look after our servicemen and servicewomen in terms of medical screening, proper training systems, training safety procedures, and medical coverage during training activities. They are our sons and our daughters and every life is precious to us.
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Mr Siew Kum Hong: Mr Speaker sir, I will like to thank the Minister for his response and assurances to this House. I only have one supplementary question which is to ask the Minister what is the status of the inquiries by MINDEF into the deaths of the late 2LT Clifton Lam and the late REC Andrew Cheah? And given the public interest, will the results be made public?
Minister: Mr Speaker sir, in the case of 2LT Clifton Lam, the Higher Board of Inquiry convened by MINDEF has been completed and the cause of 2LT Lam's death is heat stroke.
For all training activities, trainees are constantly reminded to hydrate themselves. There are water breaks and water parades where trainees drink water. In the event where there is an exercise where the trainee is required to take responsibility for himself, such as in this case of the training that 2LT Lam was undergoing, which was a 3-day jungle confidence course, they were given safety briefings and were provided with 4 litres of water each and purification tablets to purify stream or river water for drinking.
The HBOI established that 2LT Lam may not have hydrated himself adequately during this period of training.
The HBOI looked into the SAF safety systems, and was satisfied that these were in place and that there was no safety breach. Neither was there foul play or negligence on the part of any personnel.
In the case of REC Andrew Cheah, the Committee of Inquiry investigation has been completed. Based on the autopsy report, the cause of REC Cheah's death is acute pneumonitis. I should point out that in neither case was the cause of death linked to medical screening as such. The cause of REC Cheah's death was determined by the autopsy report as acute penumonitis. This is an acute infection causing extensive inflammation of the lungs. The typical symptoms are cough, phlegm, fever, pain in the chest, body aches and difficulty in breathing. However, it is possible, the doctors tell us, for a person to suffer from lung infection and yet not develop cough or fever. And this was indeed the case for REC Cheah. The infection was abrupt and caused his condition to deteriorate rapidly.
REC Cheah told his section mates before the 2-km walk that he felt a little breathless. During the walk, his instructor, who was walking with REC Cheah, observed that he looked tired and was breathing hard. However, he had no other observable symptoms such as cough or fever. In these circumstances, it was difficult for his instructors or platoon mates or indeed for REC Cheah himself to have known that the breathlessness was caused by acute pneumonitis and not simply fatigue. The instructor asked REC Cheah whether he was not feeling well. REC Cheah replied that he was just tired. Hence, the instructor allowed REC Cheah to continue with the walk around the stadium in Pulau Tekong Camp and did not pull him out as REC Cheah was able to converse with him, answer his questions with clarity in speech and thought.
The COI concluded that the instructor's decision to let REC Cheah continue with the walk was not unreasonable. The COI concluded that there was no safety breach. Neither was there foul play or negligence on the part of any personnel.
Source:
www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2008/oct/21oct08_nr.html