Int Marit Health
April 2025
Background: Medical emergencies on board are seriously impairing seafarers' safety and health, as well as future work prospects. The purpose of this International Maritime Health Foundation's (IMHF) initiative was to establish common principles for the management of disease and injury by non-medical professionals at sea.
Materials And Methods: Nine expert participants actively participated in the workshop in order to identify common principles that should guide the future development of treatment pathways by evaluating selected treatment pathways from The Ship Captain's Medical Guide 23rd Edition in the context of medical intervention on board merchant ships and consensus statements from previous four IMHF EP Workshops on Medical Help on Board.
Despite their key role in the distribution of essential goods, seafarers were often overlooked in international COVID-19 responses. Border closures isolated them at sea, often for months beyond contract. Distributing vaccines to seafarers was inconsistent and often depended on the creativity of charities and industry and labour stakeholders.
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