Chinese soldiers given tips on how to prevent altitude sickness

Guidelines for troops serving at high altitude will help keep them ready for combat, analyst says

‘Altitude sickness is a common problem that has been affecting troops stationed on the plateau for a long time,’ army officer based in Xinjiang says

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A Chinese army division is trying to educate its soldiers to the risks of altitude sickness. Photo: Weibo

Published: 9:00am, 13 Apr 2021Updated: 9:00am, 13 Apr 2021

China’s military has introduced guidelines to prevent troops serving on the Tibetan plateau from getting altitude sickness, a move seen as boosting combat readiness as the country remains locked in a border dispute with India.

“Altitude sickness is a common problem that has been affecting troops stationed on the plateau for a long time,” an unnamed army officer was quoted as saying in a report on Monday by PLA Daily, the mouthpiece of the People’s Liberation Army.

One of the problems was that the early symptoms of altitude sickness were not too serious so soldiers tended to ignore them, the person said. But if it progressed it could result in them being unable to do their jobs.

So to ensure their soldiers do not become incapacitated, the commanders of an army division serving on the plateau came up with a multi-point plan to keep them safe.

The advice is to drink lots of water, use sanitising wipes after eating and going to the bathroom, avoid overeating and breathe pure oxygen for an hour a day, the report said.

The recommendations were drawn up with the help of doctors, it said.

“Because of the guidelines, officers and soldiers in the division are gradually developing good habits to prevent altitude sickness, and some of the milder symptoms that used to happen at the start of an exercise no longer do,” the officer said.