International Medical Guide for Ships

This package contains a copy of International Medical Guide for Ships Third Edition and a copy of the Quantification Addendum which contains recommended quantities, indications and dosing for 55 medicines listed in the International Medical Guide for Ships 3rd edition.

The third edition of the International Medical Guide for Ships shows designated first-aid providers how to diagnose, treat, and prevent the health problems of seafarers on board ship.

Since its first publication in 1967, the International Medical Guide for Ships has been a standard reference for medical care on board ships. The second edition, written in 1988, was translated into more than 30 languages, and has been used in tens of thousands of ships. This, the third edition, contains fully updated recommendations aimed to promote and protect the health of seafarers, and is consistent with the latest revisions of both the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and the International Health Regulations.

The International Labor Organization's Maritime Labor Convention 2006 stipulates that all ships shall carry a medicine chest, medical equipment and a medical guide. The International Medical Guide for Ships supports a main principal of that convention; to ensure that seafarers are given health protection and medical care as comparable as possible to that which is generally available to workers ashore.

By carrying this guide on board ships, and following its instructions, countries can both fulfill their obligations under the terms of the Maritime Labor Convention 2006, and ensure the best possible health outcomes for their seafaring population.

The Quantification Addendum contains recommended quantities, indications and dosing for 55 medicines listed in the International Medical Guide for Ships 3rd edition. The quantities are based on three types of ships:

-ocean-going ships with crews of 25-40 and no doctor (Category A);
-coastal ships with crews of up to 25 that travel no more than 24 hours from a port of call (Category B); and
-small boats and private craft with crews of 15 or less, and usually travelling no more than a few hours from a port of call (Category C).

These quantities have been updated to reflect the decrease of crew numbers on most ships and calculated for voyages of one month. This companion volume to the International Medical Guide for Ships provides essential guidance to all those who involved in the procurement, purchasing, stock maintenance and use of medicines to promote and protect the health of seafarers worldwide.