India updates seafarers’ medical examination standards

The complaints received concerned issues such as a lack of proper equipment, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient basic amenities and hygienic surroundings, doubtfulness in the laboratory test reports of the seafarers, and inconsistency in the fees charged by approved medical centres, among others.

Taking these major failures into account, and in accordance with the rules of the M.S. Medical Examination Rules 2000, and in continuation of the M.S. Notice 01 of 2015, this Directorate has decided to set new parameters for any future approval of seafarer medical examiners.

All existing approvals granted to Medical Examiners with recognised degrees other than MBBS will be renewed subject to conformity with all other applicable provisions. However, henceforth all medical examiners’ approval shall be granted only upon compliance with all existing and below-mentioned provisions:

• The Doctor’s minimum qualification shall be MBBS from a recognized university approved by competent authority.
• The Doctor should have own clinic/hospital with basic minimum infrastructure requirement, i.e. waiting area for seafarer, examining room, testing lab, collection of blood and urine sample etc. as per the guideline of MS Medical Examination Rules 2000.
• Doctor should have testing laboratory approved by NABLA\IABH or they may have tie up with NABL, NABH laboratory only.
• A documentary evidence of land documents (ownership / lease) in respect of clinic along with latest photographs of the clinic is to be provided at the time of initial / renewal of approval.
• A minimum processing fee of ₹25,000 for initial and request for renewal approval of ₹10,000/- to be paid through bharatkosh which is non-refundable’ For change of address/contact details on the DG shipping medical profile a fee of ₹2000/- paid through bharatkosh.
• Renewal of Medical Examiner will be considered if he/she had done at least 25 medical tests of the seafarer in one year in the metro cities and l5 for the non-metro cities.
• The approval shall be valid for 5 years from the date of completion of the Medical Familiarization course, or the date up to the validity of registration of Medical Council or the Medical Examiner reaches the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
• The Medical Examiner who attains the age of65 years, and desires to renew the approval, may apply to this Directorate. The renewal in such cases may be considered up to age of 70 years depending on the circumstances subject to production of fit certificate from the approved central/State/local Municipal authorities.
• The approval so granted shall be cancelled if any information or document found fake or compromised at any point of time.
• The Doctor may collaborate and outsource the various tests to Laboratory centers approved by NABLA.IABH laboratory. ln Such cases, sample is to be collected at the doctor’s approved clinic.
• A closed loop feedback system has to be institutionalized, to ensure that feedback received is used towards continual improvement.