Our troops can’t suffer any longer

THE revelation of Irish soldiers suffering horrific side-effects from an anti-malaria drug is truly shocking.

The Army lads were given controversial Lariam even though Irish pharmacies no longer stock it – and many foreign armies have stopped handing it out.

They took it for tours of duty in far-flung, war-torn countries such as Chad and Liberia.

But they came home to a living hell with many now saying they are existing in a “Jekyll and Hyde” world because of Lariam.

Former soldier Anthony Moore says he almost attacked his wife after he began suffering hallucinations and paranoia.

Another ex-army man fought the urge to assault his wife with a lump hammer while another had a doctor ready to pronounce him dead after a suicide attempt.

Father-of-three Anthony says that 12 former colleagues have tragically taken their lives because of Lariam.

Last year more than 1,000 pills were doled out to our troops serving overseas – this practice has to stop. The US, UK, Germany and Australia no longer prescribe for their military overseas such is the danger.

The Department of Defence says a working group is examining Lariam and the fall-out from it.

They’d better get to the bottom of the problem quickly.