How is Seafarer Health Certificate Obtained?
Seafarer Health Certificate is a medical report issued pursuant to Seafarer’s Health Regulations dated December 6, 2013 in order to indicate that the seafarer or seafarer candidate fits to work on board, as evidenced by examinations and tests. It is valid for 2 years for any people older than 18. Seafarers should have periodical health check-up biennially pursuant to provisions of “Seafarers Health Regulation”. Health check-up for persons who will be a seafarer for the first time or biennial health check-up are performed by public and private healthcare facilities authorized pursuant to Seafarers Health Regulation.
Who should have a seafarer medical certificate?
Professional and amateur seafarers, owners of small fishing boats and small boats as well as everybody working in vessels should have this certificate.
What should be done to be a seafarer?
An individual who decides to be a seafarer should first apply to Marine Health Audit Centers, be informed about the certificates that should be issued and submitted; the person is, next, referred to relevant hospitals and medical centers in order to learn about the type of health certificate.
Who can apply?
- Seafarer candidates who apply to be a seafarer for the first time.
- Seafarers who fail to attend the periodical examination in a timely manner,
- Seafarers referred to health committee for general examination during periodical check-up,
- The seafarers who had used the right of periodical health check-up through sequential periodical examination should personally apply to the authorized healthcare facility with a seafarer’s health committee.
The seafarers or seafarer candidates apply personally to authorized centers in order to submit “Seafarers’ Health Check-up Form”, “Health certificate to approve seafarer” and all documentations of tests and examinations not later than 30 business days to have a “Seafarer Health Audit Certificate” issued. General examination is required for seafarers who do not have the periodical examination in authorized centers within 3 months after expiry date of the Seafarer Health Audit Certificate”.
Health Committee Report for Seafarers
The candidates applying for Health Audit Certificate and the seafarers, who have not actively worked on board for a period longer than 2 years, shall be entitled to get a Health Committee Report for Seafarers pursuant to provisions of Seafarers Health Regulation in the light of examinations, if there is no physical disability (disability or disease etc.) that hinders being a seafarer.
General Examination for Seafarer:
- Internal Medicine
- Ophthalmology
- Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)
- Psychiatry
- Orthopedics and Traumatology; the examination is made by physicians of these departments.
Following examinations are done in Seafarers’ General Examination.
- Complete Blood Count
- Fasting Blood Glucose
- Urinalysis
- Urea
- Creatinine
- Anti HIV
- HBSAg
- ANTI HCV
- SGOT-SGPT
- Substance screening in urine
- ECG
- Audiometry
- Chest X-ray
Periodical Health Certificate
Seafarers should have a periodical health check-up once every two years in order to learn whether their overall health is appropriate for working on board. Following the health check-up, a Periodical Health Audit Certificate is issued for seafarers. Periodical Health Check-up is repeated annually for persons younger than 18 in order to work on board continuously. Since a certain period of fasting is required for tests required for Seafarer Health Certificate, the candidates should be at the hospital between 08:30 and 10:30.
Following tests are done in periodical health check-up:
- Complete Blood Count
- Fasting Blood Glucose
- Urinalysis
- Anti HIV
- HBSAg
- ECG
- Audiometry
- Chest X-ray, PA
