Amid COVID-19 era and the crew change restrictions that has brought, IMO launched guidelines for Port and Coastal States on how to safely transport seafarers ashore in case they need medical care.
As hundreds of thousands of seafarers have already exceeded length of their tour of duty onboard amid COVID-19 uncertainty, they should request, without delay, access to long-term medications that they require so that they can be delivered as essential items, the ITF noted.
In violation of MLC 2006, there have recently been several cases where seafarers were denied their legal right to medical treatment due to COVID-19 restrictions. In this regard, JNG and ITF urgently called on governments to step up and not use the COVID-19 to refuse seafarers’ human rights.
With several passengers reported being ill onboard the cruise ship “Norwegian Joy”, officials in Los Angeles acted immediately and showed their concern while the vessel had to dock in Port of LA.
10 people on board the cruise ship Norwegian Joy were treated by paramedics on Sunday, December 1, after reporting minor medical complaints, marking the second time within a period of one week that passengers from the vessel had to be treated for illness after returning from a trip.
On Sunday 27 October, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued a 44-year old man from the TUI cruises ship called “Mein Schiff” at a position about 20 nautical miles east of Atlantic City, in order to receive medical care. For the time being, the crewmember’s health condition remains unknown.
Today we are going to talk about Pre-employment and re-employment medical examinations. Unfortunately the importance of these tests is under estimated, left for the responsibility of the crew member, treated as a formal requirement, which eventually might lead to very costly claims onboard and/or even direct threat to the crew member’s life.
IMO has agreed to develop a new medical guide for ships, jointly with ILO. The main objective would be to produce a practical up-to-date ships medical guide to assist those required to give medical assistance who are primarily not medics.
Two kayakers were rescued by HM Coastguard helicopter after their kayak capsized on the 1st of November on the River Spey, near Inshriach. The Coastguard winchman was lowered down to the kayaker and placed him to a more accessible location on the other side of the river along with the female kayaker. Both kayakers were able to walk to the ambulance where they were warmed and treated for cold.
