Every training incident is "painful" and prompts the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to review its safety measures, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen yesterday.
Dr Ng said that a Committee of Inquiry (COI) has been convened to investigate the deaths of two full-time national servicemen (NSFs) earlier this year.
He said: "Every incident resulting in injury or death is painful to us and gets top management priority, to make it right."
The COI will "determine if measures taken to treat, resuscitate and evacuate" Private (Pte) Amirul Syahmi Kamal, 20, and Pte Dominique Sarron Lee Rui Feng, 21, were adequate and prompt, he added. Dr Ng also revealed that Pte Amirul had been found hanging in a locked toilet cubicle at his camp.
Five servicemen have died so far this year.
Dr Ng was responding to queries from several Members of Parliament, who asked if the SAF's medical system - including its emergency evacuation procedures and servicemen's physical classification system - is adequate to cater to personnel who may have medical conditions.
Dr Ng said the SAF is not looking to wait until the COI - which could take a few months to conclude - presents its recommendations to improve the safety system in place.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak, MP for Nee Soon GRC and chair of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs, had asked Dr Ng if the current system of a casualty being sent to an SAF medical centre instead of being taken direct to a hospital was adequate.
Dr Ng said that the SAF Medical Corps is conducting its own review to determine "whether steps taken, and facilities and expertise are up to par".
The Physical Employment Status method of classifying servicemen was also a topic of discussion yesterday.
MP for Tampines GRC Irene Ng highlighted that Pte Lee, who was asthmatic, had been exposed to "asthma triggers" such as smoke grenades when he collapsed during training. She called for better diagnostic tests for servicemen who are exposed to allergens.
Dr Ng said that about one in five servicemen suffers from mild asthma and that many have gone through training "without adverse effects". He added that it would be premature to pinpoint the smoke grenades as having caused the death of Pte Lee.
He said: "We know that we have the responsibility to keep sons of Singapore safe while training."
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每五名服役人员 一人患有哮喘病 — 这是什么话?
20％的国民服役人员患有哮喘病，但大部分人都能顺利完成军事训练。在早报《每五名服役人员 一人患有哮喘病》这一篇新闻报道中的一句话，让我瞠目结舌 — 大部分患有哮喘病的服役军人平安了，那么其余的一小部分呢？难道说，都像第三步兵营的士兵李瑞峰一样，今年 4月17日在林厝港训练中心演习时呼吸困难。而不同的结果是，这其余的小部分的服役军人都得救了，而李瑞峰 却走进了黄泉路，枉死城。
黄永宏指出，“患哮喘病的军人很普遍，跟一般人口差不多，大约占20％，大部军人的哮喘病都很轻微，很多也 完成了军事训练”。怎样来看待国防部长这段话，是一个考验国民心智的问题。
其一就是根据2010年全国健康调查, 有11.7%的男性国人曾患过哮喘病。其二就是怎么看待入伍的青年，应该都是身体没有问题的健康青年，竟然 会有20%的服役军人是哮喘病患者这个尖锐的课题呢？其三就是曾经患过哮喘病和还是哮喘病病人肯定是有不同 的。那么，患有哮喘病的军人是否适合每一项军事课程，或则必须避免某些能够导致哮喘病人发病的 训练呢？
或者，先是国防部长必须接受一些医学知识，譬如说让他亲眼瞧瞧哮喘病人发病时的痛苦，那种随时能够窒息、毙 命的煎熬。伍碧虹提问为什么不干脆让哮喘病人免去受训？黄永宏都说了，20%的服役军人患有哮喘病。如果这 20%免服役了，新加坡军势立即降低两成，这话问得虽然庸浅，不经过脑袋。然而，哮喘病青年是否适合服役。 又服役时必需有什么附带的保护措施，已经是一件刻不容缓，必须紧急磋商的事。
世界上有什么国家的军人有20%是患哮喘病的？看来我们国家虽小，这肯定也是一项世界纪录。我不敢去想，脑 海中却不期然浮起 — 在战场上，枪声和硝烟刚刚响起、升起，我们的20%军人，都开始呼吸困难的画面…
Dr Ng said that a Committee of Inquiry (COI) has been convened to investigate the deaths of two full-time national servicemen (NSFs) earlier this year.
He said: "Every incident resulting in injury or death is painful to us and gets top management priority, to make it right."
The COI will "determine if measures taken to treat, resuscitate and evacuate" Private (Pte) Amirul Syahmi Kamal, 20, and Pte Dominique Sarron Lee Rui Feng, 21, were adequate and prompt, he added. Dr Ng also revealed that Pte Amirul had been found hanging in a locked toilet cubicle at his camp.
Five servicemen have died so far this year.
Dr Ng was responding to queries from several Members of Parliament, who asked if the SAF's medical system - including its emergency evacuation procedures and servicemen's physical classification system - is adequate to cater to personnel who may have medical conditions.
Dr Ng said the SAF is not looking to wait until the COI - which could take a few months to conclude - presents its recommendations to improve the safety system in place.
Dr Lim Wee Kiak, MP for Nee Soon GRC and chair of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs, had asked Dr Ng if the current system of a casualty being sent to an SAF medical centre instead of being taken direct to a hospital was adequate.
Dr Ng said that the SAF Medical Corps is conducting its own review to determine "whether steps taken, and facilities and expertise are up to par".
The Physical Employment Status method of classifying servicemen was also a topic of discussion yesterday.
MP for Tampines GRC Irene Ng highlighted that Pte Lee, who was asthmatic, had been exposed to "asthma triggers" such as smoke grenades when he collapsed during training. She called for better diagnostic tests for servicemen who are exposed to allergens.
Dr Ng said that about one in five servicemen suffers from mild asthma and that many have gone through training "without adverse effects". He added that it would be premature to pinpoint the smoke grenades as having caused the death of Pte Lee.
He said: "We know that we have the responsibility to keep sons of Singapore safe while training."
[email protected]
每五名服役人员 一人患有哮喘病 — 这是什么话?
20％的国民服役人员患有哮喘病，但大部分人都能顺利完成军事训练。在早报《每五名服役人员 一人患有哮喘病》这一篇新闻报道中的一句话，让我瞠目结舌 — 大部分患有哮喘病的服役军人平安了，那么其余的一小部分呢？难道说，都像第三步兵营的士兵李瑞峰一样，今年 4月17日在林厝港训练中心演习时呼吸困难。而不同的结果是，这其余的小部分的服役军人都得救了，而李瑞峰 却走进了黄泉路，枉死城。
黄永宏指出，“患哮喘病的军人很普遍，跟一般人口差不多，大约占20％，大部军人的哮喘病都很轻微，很多也 完成了军事训练”。怎样来看待国防部长这段话，是一个考验国民心智的问题。
其一就是根据2010年全国健康调查, 有11.7%的男性国人曾患过哮喘病。其二就是怎么看待入伍的青年，应该都是身体没有问题的健康青年，竟然 会有20%的服役军人是哮喘病患者这个尖锐的课题呢？其三就是曾经患过哮喘病和还是哮喘病病人肯定是有不同 的。那么，患有哮喘病的军人是否适合每一项军事课程，或则必须避免某些能够导致哮喘病人发病的 训练呢？
或者，先是国防部长必须接受一些医学知识，譬如说让他亲眼瞧瞧哮喘病人发病时的痛苦，那种随时能够窒息、毙 命的煎熬。伍碧虹提问为什么不干脆让哮喘病人免去受训？黄永宏都说了，20%的服役军人患有哮喘病。如果这 20%免服役了，新加坡军势立即降低两成，这话问得虽然庸浅，不经过脑袋。然而，哮喘病青年是否适合服役。 又服役时必需有什么附带的保护措施，已经是一件刻不容缓，必须紧急磋商的事。
世界上有什么国家的军人有20%是患哮喘病的？看来我们国家虽小，这肯定也是一项世界纪录。我不敢去想，脑 海中却不期然浮起 — 在战场上，枪声和硝烟刚刚响起、升起，我们的20%军人，都开始呼吸困难的画面…
i didnt know they can cure asthma ...must import more of them to work " hospital " 
