MINSK, 19 August (BelTA) – A meeting of the working group on the issues of medical and sanitary-epidemiological support of civil aviation flights of the CIS Executive Committee will be held in Minsk on 21-22 August, BelTA learned from the press service of the CIS Executive Committee.
Participants of the meeting are set to discuss draft aviation rules on medical support for air carriers and in-flight medical assistance for passengers and aircrew in civil aviation aircraft of the CIS member states. The working group has drafted the rules in order to create a single fundamental document outlining the most important features and attributes of medical activity of air carriers and basic requirements for air carriers.
The document describes activities of an air carrier regarding medical assistance if a company has a medical department in its structure or if it employs an aviation medical examiner authorized to provide medical support for an air carrier. The rules may be used by the CIS civil air carriers which provide any air transportation services.
One of the main aims of medical support for aviation flights is to improve flight medical examination in order to diagnose diseases early and determine whether pilots are fit to carry out their duties. Another document to be discussed at the meeting of the working group is draft requirements for health of candidates who apply to get or renew a first class medical certificate.
Cardiovascular diseases, especially coronary artery disease, top the list of the most common diseases pilots suffer from. Coronary artery disease in pilots tends to affect younger people more and more and to remain asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic. Hypertension is the second most popular disease among diseases of internal medicine. Changes in civil aviation pilots' health are potential flight safety hazards.
Despite extensive use of the latest achievements in cardiology in aviation medicine, the problem of early diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases in pilots still stands. The CIS recognizes the need to further improve methods of examination and early diagnosis of pilots' diseases. That is why the CIS member states are designing requirements for aviation personnel's health, especially regarding cardiovascular diseases.
