Coroner warns MoD over future deaths after two African military recruits sent to the UK to train collapsed and died within just DAYS of each other due to undiagnosed sickle cell disease
- Two African recruits sent to the UK died ten days apart during training
- Kamil Iddrisu and Youngson Nkhoma both suffered from sickle cell disease
- Neither were aware of the condition, which can trigger collapse during exercise
- Three other cases – none of which were fatal – have occurred in the UK previously
A coroner has warned of more deaths after two African military recruits sent to the UK for training collapsed and died within days of each other while on exercise.
Both recruits were training at Whittington Barracks in Staffordshire and suffered from undiagnosed sickle cell disease – a blood condition that be fatal during extreme exercise and most commonly affects people with African ancestry.
Kamil Iddrisu, 25, from Malawi, died on November 17, and Youngson Nkhoma, 31, from Ghana, collapsed and died ten days later.
Both recruits were training at Whittington Barracks in Staffordshire and suffered from undiagnosed sickle cell disease – a blood condition that be fatal during extreme exercise and most commonly affects people with African ancestry
Both were treated at Good Hope Hospital in Birmingham and had suffered severe kidney damage, an inquest heard.
Birmingham and Solihull coroner Louise Hunt conducted an inquest earlier this month and warned there had been three other cases of the same sort collapse among soldiers in the UK. All were taken seriously ill but had survived.
Ms Hunt has now issued a Prevention of Future Deaths letter to the Government and said the connection between sickle cell and exercise had been well documented.
In her letter to the Ministry of Defence she said:
‘Consideration should be given to all non UK selection candidates being screened for sickle cell trait before embarking on any selection process.
A blood test can be undertaken to assess whether candidates have sickle cell
Consideration should also be given to all non UK selection candidates who have been through the process already having an urgent blood test to check whether they have sickle cell trait.
If a person has sickle cell trait they are a significant increased risk of death/collapse during military exercise.’
An Army spokesperson said:
‘It is with sadness that we can confirm the deaths of two potential recruits on separate assessment exercises at Whittington Barracks.
‘As an investigation is ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further.’