Reply to Parliamentary Question on Medical Screening of National Service Enlistees for Specific Allergies

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Are National Service enlistees screened medically for specific allergies especially to substances that they may be exposed to during their military training; and (b) if not, whether there are plans to do so.

Minister of State for Defence and Education Mr Lawrence Wong: Mr Speaker, Sir, all national servicemen undergo compulsory and detailed medical screening by the SAF before their enlistment. When a medical condition is declared or detected, the SAF will conduct follow-up medical assessment to determine the suitability of the pre-enlistee for NS training.

As part of this medical screening, pre-enlistees are specifically asked whether they have any previously known or suspected allergies. The SAF medical officer will then conduct a more detailed clinical assessment of any allergy reported. Depending on the outcome of the clinical assessment, the pre-enlistee could be referred to a specialist doctor to confirm the diagnosis and to determine the underlying substance causing the allergic reaction. The result of the screening will be factored in the deployment and employment of the serviceman. Similarly, if a serviceman reports that he has an allergy during his national service, his case will be assessed using the same procedures.

As the Minister has highlighted in his earlier reply, the SAF's medical screening protocols are developed and reviewed on a regular basis in consultation with leading medical specialists from the public and private sectors. Likewise, our approach to allergy testing is in line with established national and international clinical practice guidelines. We will continue to monitor these guidelines, and as these guidelines change, we will also adjust our protocols to enhance the robustness of our medical screening.