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19 youth collapse during Soroti LDU training
LDU applicant taken to hospital after collapsing during the race. PHOTO BY URN
At least 19 youths were admitted at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital after collapsing during the Local Defense Unit-LDU recruitment exercise at Soroti sports ground on Sunday.
The youths collapsed during the four kilometer run to test their physical fitness. Those admitted include Celina Ageto, from Serere, Ocen from Soroti, Sam Okello from Kalaki and Joseph Ejiku from Kaberamaido among others.
The UPDF medical team had a lot of work picking the youths who had fainted along the way and rushing them to Soroti Hospital. Our reporter visited the hospital and found a team of Medical workers led by a one Ekochu administering first aid.
Ekochu told URN that they had to administer fast aid and give the youth glucose to stabilize them. Our reporter saw some of the youths shouting on top of their voices telling the medical workers to take care of their children in case they died.
“I was under so much pressure to complete the 4-kilometer-race. We had been told that only the first 50 people would be taken from the four groups,” Samuel Okiror, one of the participants said from his hospital bed.
Capt. Abert Arinaitwe, the 3rd division spokesperson told URN that all the youths who collapsed during the road drill were unfit and would not be considered for the task.
“These are people who were collapsing on the way while they had gone for a run. If you can’t run a short distance of only four kilometres then you are unfit. How do you expect to walk eight kilo meters or ten following cattle thieves? This is an interview and they have failed,” he said.
Over 3000 youth from Serere, Soroti, Kaberamaido and Kalaki turned up for the exercise.
