SINGAPORE: A common anti-malaria pill given to about 30,000
servicemen every year since 1985 has been taken off the inventory
following the death of a full-time national serviceman who
developed complications after taking the drug.
Mr Muhammad Sufian Jamil, 18, was undergoing Basic Military
Training at Pulau Tekong when a rare drug-induced disease � Dapsone
Hypersensitivity Syndrome � struck him down. He died of liver and
organ failure on February 1 last year.
After his enlistment on December 3, 2005, Mr Muhammad Sufian was
administered the anti-malaria drug, Maloprim, on seven separate
occasions. He started to develop a cough, fever, rash and headache
and sought treatment at the Pulau Tekong Medical Centre on six
occasions.
On January 15 last year, he sought treatment at Alexandra Hospital
(AH) after developing a fever and rash.
He was then in a stable condition and was given an appointment to
see a dermatologist about a week later. His condition had
deteriorated further when he returned to AH on January 23.
In view of his worsening liver condition, he was admitted to the
hospital and later transferred to National University Hospital
(NUH) on the same day.
At NUH, dermatologists and the infectious diseases and liver
transplant teams treated him. But his condition declined,
developing multi-organ failure before eventually dying.
On Wednesday, State Coroner Ronald Gwee ruled a misadventure
verdict on Mr Muhammad Sufian's death. Citing reports from two
medical experts, the District Judge ruled out any negligence on the
part of the physicians who provided "aggressive supportive
treatment" to the deceased.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Lim Kah Beng's report noted that Mr
Muhammad Sufian's case was "unusual", as the "complaints were more
of a flu-like illness".
In an investigation report read out in court, Chief Army Medical
Officer Colonel Dr Benjamin Seet said that Maloprim "had been very
effective in preventing malaria amongst SAF troops training on
Pulau Tekong and overseas". Prior to the incident, the drug "had a
good safety profile in the SAF" and the serviceman's death was
"unprecedented".
The court also heard of steps taken by the SAF to address the
situation after a forensic report attributed Mr Muhammad Sufian's
death to one of Maloprim's components.
SAF doctors were educated on the rare condition through a medical
advisory and lecture.
An independent expert panel to review the SAF's anti-malaria policy
was also convened last October. Based on its recommendations,
Maloprim was replaced with two other drugs
