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7 Illness

7.4 PEME (Pre-Engagement Medical Examination)

To prevent illness and ensure that the crew is itPEME is followed correctly a serious illness is more likely to
and healthy, the normal medical examination seems be discovered.

inadequate. It can take years of unhealthy living for a The number of claims caused by illnesses, which could and

serious illness to develop as a consequence, and this is should have been detected in thoroughly conducted PEMEs,
also true for many other illnesses that are not obvious in has increased substantially, both in number and cost.

the early stages.. If the warning signs can be identiied The best hope of reversing the increase in illness is to

and preventative measures taken at an early stage, it is develop much wider recognition of the problem by the
likely that this could prevent a lot of suffering and even company’s management, coupled with more emphasis on

premature death.thorough PEMEs.

To this end, the Club has developed its own PEME, which Appendix (iv) shows an extract from a bachelor thesis by
is much more comprehensive than the medical examination Marcus Waserbrot demonstrating that a PEME saves cost and

normally required.prevents illness.

Two clinics in the Philippines are currently approved to
carry out PEME examinations on behalf of the Club. If the

7.5 Illness – how to treat crew members

Respect for a seafarer’s personal recommendation given by a medical made is fully recognised. It becomes

decision, in relation to recommended expert. The objective of the Club in a particularly dificult if family
medical treatment, is paramount in situation like this is to ensure that the members who do not have access to

handling cases involving personal seafarer makes an informed decision the same information put pressure on

injury or illness.and, if required, obtains the advice of the member.
There is always a balance between several experienced medical experts Usually, any situation can be

maintaining respect for a decision enabling him to do so. There is also the resolved by reasoning and close

made by an adult of sound mind question of what constitutes a sound cooperation between the parties
(possibly based on religious or mind and whether the information on involved, including the seafarer, the

cultural determination) and thewhich the seafarer’s decision is to bemember, the family, the treating

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