A new set of recommendations designed to ensure seafarers can access medical care ashore quickly and safely has just been developed and is ready for immediate implementation.
Endorsed by IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim, they represent a joint effort by a broad cross section of global industry associations in consultation with the IMO. They provide guidance to the relevant authorities in port and coastal states so they can ensure seafarers’ access to medical care. This covers any medical situation – as well as when a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19 is involved.
The recommendations include advice on monitoring for signs or symptoms of Covid-19 prior to disembarkation, isolation of suspected or confirmed cases, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and minimising the exposure to infrastructure and personnel in the port during disembarkation and transfer to a medical facility.
According to Lim, since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been cases of seafarers being denied permission to go ashore, even when they presented medical issues that were life-threatening but not related to Covid-19, including a stroke.
