Ministry to review NS trainees’ health procedures

Star: PETALING JAYA: Operating procedures for health matters regarding national service trainees will be reviewed.
Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said yesterday this would include requiring trainees to provide a more up-to-date and indepth details of their health condition on derclaration forms.
“We will review the standard operating procedures. Trainees should tell the medical attendants immediately if they have a problem.”
He was commenting on the death of trainee Too Hui Min at the Slim River Hospital on Wednesday. She had been stationed at the Geo Kosmo National Service Training Camp .
Hours earlier she had complained of an upset stomach while undergoing firearms training at the shooting range in Jugra in Banting, Selangor.
Her family said she had complained of constipation for three days before she died and they want to know why camp officials did not take her to the hospital earlier.
Liow said the cause of death had been determined as being toxic megacolon and her colon had been swollen and the lining had thinned due to septicemia.
“I have directed our director-general to investigate the incident and determine is there was negligence,” he said.
“From what we were told, she was sent to the hospital quite late and that was because she was at the shooting range which was hours away from the camp.”
He said that Too was examined by the camp’s medical attendant when she returned to the camp and was immediately sent to the Slim River Hospital.
“That took another hour . By then, it was too late.”
Liow also said that trainees at Kem PLKN Jiwa Murni Semanggol had came down with the common flu.
“Everything is under control and we are sending health officers to help control the situation,” he said.
Its 196 trainees have been quarantined by the Kerian district health office.
They have also been instructed to improve their personal hygiene while face masks have been distributed.