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