Dept mulls check-ups for NS trainees

NST: KUANTAN: The death of a National Service (NS) trainee and the case of a female participant giving birth may see trainees undergoing medical checkups before joining the camp.
At present, trainee are only required to make a declaration on their health status when registering at the respective camps.
NS Training Department director-general Datuk Abdul Hadi Awang Kechil said the department would get feedback from the Health Ministry and NS Training Council before making a proposal for the compulsory medical checkup.
"I will bring this matter up in the next meeting with ministry officials and council chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye," he said after opening a motivational talk by NS icon Mej Dr Faiz Khalid at the Cahaya Gemilang NS camp in Cherating near here yesterday.
Abdul Hadi said in the two recent cases, the trainees did not know or declare their health status as required. "Both had indicated in the declaration forms that they were fit to join the programme."
He said the student who delivered her baby after joining the programme in Kemaman had only asked for exemption from physical training as she claimed that she had piles.
As for the trainee from the Tapah camp, he was given proper treatment before he died of "pulmonary haemorrhage" due to infection at the Teluk Intan Hospital.