The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) has strengthened its partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) in enhancing the medical assessment policies for seafarers.
Marina, through the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers Convention (STCW) Office, together with the DOH jointly conducted a re-orientation for Medical Facilities for Overseas Workers and Seafarers (MFOWS) and DOH-accredited medical practitioners on May 18, discussing the policies relating to the assessment of the medical fitness of seafarers for service at sea.
The re-orientation also addressed concerns including the format of the Pre-Employment Medical Examination (PEME) of medical certificates issued by MFOWS; standard assessment for eyesight and hearing; enrollment with Surveillance, Accreditation and Monitoring-Information System; and encoding of medical examination results in the Marina Integrated Seafarers Management Online System, among others.
Capt. Vicente Navarro, STCW Office officer-in-charge (OIC) deputy executive director, said the DOH and MARINA aim to reiterate the standards and policies, especially on the issuance of the PEME format of medical certificates for seafarers.
“Under Regulation I/9, it is an obligation of our country as a signatory or party to the STCW Convention to ensure that medical standards are being properly implemented in medical facilities and religiously observed by medical practitioners conducting an assessment of medical fitness of seafarers for service at sea,” Navarro said.
Annette Tan, OIC director of the DOH-Health Facilities and Services Regulatory Bureau, said it is essential to enhance communication and collaboration between stakeholders, including seafarers, medical professionals, maritime authorities and training institutions.
“The country’s seafaring industry has succeeded in the gainful employment of thousands of Filipino marine officers in foreign-going vessels. As such, the evaluation of PEME medical certificates plays a critical role in maintaining the standards required for seafaring. It ensures the seafarers are physically and mentally fit to perform their duties,” Tan said.
“It is imperative that we work together to establish standardized protocols and guidelines for the assessment of PEME certificates. This will ensure the evaluation are conducted in uniformity, and that the results are credible and consistent,” she added. – Myla Iglesias
