Materia Medica Malaysiana

Pregnancy test included in free NS health screening

PETALING JAYA: Pregnancy tests will be part of the free health screening for youths selected for national service (NS) from now on.

“To prevent untoward incidents, such as miscarriage, we offer deferment of training to pregnant trainees and will send them home right away,” said NS Training Department deputy director-general Omar Abdul Rahman.

Married female trainees are, therefore, advised to take the pregnancy test ahead of the three-month NS training as previously, some pregnant female trainees had unknowingly enrolled themselves, he said.

“Some pregnant trainees became unwell in the camps or some used pregnancy as an excuse to stay away from certain activities.”

All NS trainees are required to go through the health screening at appointed public hospitals before reporting for training.

Those certified with health complications will be exempted from the programme or have their training deferred to a later date depending on the seriousness of their illnesses.

Omar said trainees due to undergo NS training in December should receive the list of government and military hospitals for the free health screening next week.

Notices to inform trainees about which camps they were assigned to, locations of the pick-up points and preparation instructions for NS training would be sent out by Friday, he said.

“The notices will include advice on the dos and don’ts at NS training camps, a list of things to bring and prohibited items at camps.

“For trainees scheduled to begin training in December, they can call up the NS Training Department from late next week onwards if they have yet to receive the notices, “ he said.

The second year of NS programme will see 85,000 youths born in 1987 undergo training in three batches.

The first batch of about 28,000 will begin training from Dec 13, the second from March 14, and the third from July 10.