Police recruits to undergo tough medical tests

Kampala.

At least 3,500 new police entrants are to be subjected to another medical examination in which those with any disabilities, sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy will be dropped out of the course.
A total of 3,000 probation police constables and 500 police cadets will undergo examination at a training which will start later this month in Masindi District.

It is usually during this advanced medical examination where many trainees are told of the ailments and organ dysfunctions they have never known to have had.

Deputy police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said they don’t stop people of all kinds from joining the Force but police don’t want to put the lives of those with ailments at risk.

“If we examine you and discover that you have an STD or pregnancy or have had a surgery, you are immediately discontinued from the course. Our training is so rigorous and sometimes life threatening. This can led to death of a trainee if his or her body health and immunity are weak,” Mr Onyango said yesterday.

Some police trainees suspected to have STDs often take concoction of drugs, supposedly to prevent medical experts from detecting the virus in their blood.

Mr Onyango said during training, trainees may not have time to take their drugs which may affect their immunity system.
Unconfirmed reports among police officers allege that trainees with sexual dysfunctions are also dropped from the course after a medical test, but Mr Onyango refuted the allegation.

“Impotent men and those who have other sexual dysfunctions are allowed to join. We only discontinue those we found to have anuria, which is symptom of kidney diseases, that is why sexual organs of male trainees are examined because symptoms can be easily detected there,” he said.