industry: As India moves ahead in the maritime industry, the increasing contribution of women in the shipping industry calls for new focus on an important aspect of occupational health: the demand for health care systems capable of providing women working at sea with the necessary assistance. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways has stated that the number of registered female seafarers grew from 1,699 in 2015 to 14,255 in 2024, which is an increase of 739 percent. The Sagar Mein Samman initiative aims to promote women’s participation, safety and welfare in the industry. As more women start working in shipping, occupational health care systems need to adapt to women’s needs.
Long trips, rigorous routines and unavailability of medical facilities on land can hinder even standardized healthcare. In the specific case of female seafarers, problems can often involve issues related to menstrual health, reproductive health and individual medical requirements. Thus addressing those problems requires more holistic approach to medicine.
Rethinking pre sea medical assessments
The pre-sea medical evaluations determine whether a person is capable of performing the tasks related to working on a boat. However, it should not be considered a fixed standard and should account for the specificities of individuals’ health. The concept of gender responsive approach is not related to the establishment of different fitness standards for women. Instead, the focus should be on relevant medical checks, timely detection of health issues, and assistance with the treatment of the medical states during the time served on a vessel.
“Medical fitness does not only focus on confirming if an individual is ready for a journey. It also involves recognizing an individual’s health needs and identifying the ways in which these can be supported even when medical resources may be limited. For women seafarers, this calls for a more individualised and informed approach to occupational healthcare,” says Suhasini Deshmukh, Director, MedRabbits Healthcare.
Building a healthcare ecosystem that supports women at sea
The coordination among health care providers, shipping firms, maritime training establishments and regulatory agencies is needed for supporting women seafarers. The medical centres certified by the DG Shipping play a vital role in performing relevant assessments, detecting health issues and providing advice related to the medical fitness requirements. The medical consultations must be conducted with care and respect for confidential information as well as peculiarities of each individual’s health care needs. By promoting health awareness, health care facilities can provide timely consultations and offer appropriate referral channels.
“Women have seen significant upliftment in the maritime sector, but the health sector must evolve parallel to participation in the workforce. The healthcare system must be able to link the maritime pre-sea medical assessment with preventive care, medical advice and referrals for medical assistance while at sea. This is important to ensure that women feel comfortable pursuing maritime careers” says Suhasini Deshmukh.
Making occupational healthcare integral to maritime growth
Healthcare preparedness needs to go further than just the initial medical checkup. Availability of menstrual hygiene supplies, medical diagnosis and specialist appointments may be key factors in long-distance travels. Telemedicine can play a crucial role in providing timely medical advice, where the necessary facilities are available.
With the growth of the maritime workforce of the country, there is an opportunity to improve occupational health care which will add to the safety of their working conditions. For the seafarers, particularly women, this means having the health care systems which can take care of their health needs before, during and after being deployed on the ship.
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