Veteran says antimalarial drug used by soldiers in early 1990s had side effects

A veteran who was in Somalia and Rwanda in the 1990s says the government should take responsibility for the effects the antimalarial drug mefloquine may have had on soldiers.

Dave Bona, a former member of the Canadian Airborne Regimen who served in Somalia and Rwanda, told CBC he still suffers from side effects of the drug from his time in the Canadian military.

‘Not suitable’ for military

During that time, he was one of the soldiers who took the drug and says he felt its effects almost immediately. Bona’s first time taking mefloquine was in 1992, prior to his deployment to Somalia.

“This drug is not suitable for military operations,” he said.