Tororo, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | A 22-year-old man collapsed and died during a military physical fitness drill in Tororo District on Friday 12, July 2024.
Abudallah Biija was participating in a mandatory 4km run as part of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) recruitment exercise when he lost consciousness and collapsed.
Efforts were made to save him as he was rushed to Tororo hospital, but sadly, he passed away shortly after arrival.
Biija had traveled from Butaleja District to Tororo to take part in the recruitment process.
This incident follows another collapse during the same 4km run just three days prior, when Levi Okwir collapsed at Dokolo Technical Institute during a physical fitness drill due to hunger.
Captain Ahmad Hassan Kato, Public Information Officer for the UPDF 4th Infantry Division, reported that Levi Okwir collapsed while attempting to complete a 4-kilometre run.
Okwir received first aid from the medical team stationed at the institute and was quickly evacuated for further care. Upon regaining consciousness, he disclosed that he had missed dinner the night before and skipped breakfast that morning, leading to his collapse during the strenuous physical activity.
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“Mr Levi did not make a kilometre before he fainted,” Kato noted before confirming that the recruit was “out of danger and will undergo further tests to ascertain his vitals.”
The UPDF is in the midst of a recruitment drive aiming to enlist 9,627 individuals into the Infantry forces. This nationwide exercise, covering 135 districts and 11 cities, started on July 1 and will conclude on July 14.
Military drills worldwide are designed to test the physical endurance and mental toughness of recruits, sometimes pushing them to their limits.
Unfortunately, these rigorous tests can lead to serious health incidents or even fatalities. In 2021, 22-year-old Twaha Tondwa from Pallisa District also died after collapsing during a similar drill run.
