About 28th Session of Coordinative Advisory Aeromedical Council

     On 15-19 June 2009 the 28th Session of Coordinative Advisory Aeromedical Council (6th retreat) with the participation of representative from Azerbaijan Republic, Republic of Armenia, Republic of Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Republic of Uzbekistan, Russian Federation and Ukraine, as well as the head of Eurocontrol (Belgium) and medical expert of European Aviation Safety Agency (Germany) was held.
      In opening the meeting the first deputy of the Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Belarus
      The main report "Features of medical flight safety of civil aviation of the contracting states of the Agreement and ways of its improvement" was made by the chairman of CAAC, Professor V.D. Vlasov.
      The following reports of the Council participants were heard and discussed: 
- "Legal and expert aspects of medical and psychological examination of aviation personnel", by the head of Civil Aviation Medical Service of the Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Belarus S.Y. Slastnikov;
- "The effectiveness of medical flight safety according to flight personnel supervision data by medical examiners in accordance with JAR FCL-3", by the chief of the Department of Aviation Medicine of the State Administration of Ukraine A.A. Bandura;
- "New European rules for flight safety of civil aviation", by the medical expert of European Aviation Safety Agency V. Valentukevicius (Germany); 
- "Frequency and severity of cardiac arrhythmias among flight personnel and issues of medical and flight examination", by the head of the Health Center "Health" of "Tajik Air" national air carrier of the Republic of Tajikistan, by N.G. Ismoilov;
- "On training of aviation doctors in the Republic of Belarus", by the Deputy Head of the Department of medical support of armed forces and extreme medicine, by Pantukhov A.P. and a number of others.
      On 15 June 2009 Belarus TV broadcasted the opening of CAAC Session and brief information about it was provided. It was emphasized that the CAAC IAC Session on urgent issues of medical flight support, dedicated to the urgent issues of medical flight support was held for the first time in the Republic of Belarus.
      The issues on "Professional expertise and pre-shift examination of controllers" and "Diagnostics, deseases prevention and rehabilitation of aviation specialists", "Human factor and flight safety" and "Sanitation activities and anti-epidemic measures" were considered in the following days.  
       Much interest was focused on the folling reports: 
      - "A Comprehensive Educational Program for Prevention of Heart Disease in Civil Aviation Specialists" (N.A. Kermakunova, Kyrgyzaeronavigatsia State Enterprise, Bishkek);
      - "Modern Approaches to the Diagnosis, Examination, and Prevention of Vestibular Disorders in Flight Crew" (Yu.A. Sokolov, PhD, 223rd Center for Aviation Medicine, Minsk);
      - "On the Health of Ukrainian Air Traffic Controllers and their Expert Assessment" (A.P. Kaniskin, KyivCentraero RSP, Ukraine);
      - "On Flight Time Standards in Civil Aviation" (Yu.V. Dunayev, Expert, Flight Crew Trade Union, Syktyvkar, Russia);
      - "Risk Factors for the Development of Atherosclerosis in Flight and Air Traffic Control Personnel and Its Prevention" (L.I. Vasilevich, State Institution "California Medical Service" of the Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Minsk, Republic of Belarus);
      - "Conflict: Development, Course, and Resolution" (I.A. Boykova, MD, Head of the Psychotherapy Department, BelMAPO, Minsk, Republic of Belarus);
      - "Medical Support for Flight Safety of Uzbekistan Airways" (Sh.K. Shorahmedov, MD, Head of the Medical and Sanitary Service);
      - "The Emotional Sphere in the Professional Experience of a Flight Attendant" (T.V. Filipyeva, MD, Aviation Psychologist, Russia);
      - "Burnout Syndrome in Aviation Specialists" (N.N. Protko, 223rd Aviation Medicine Center, Republic of Belarus);
      - "Minor Cardiac Anomalies in Flight Crew: Expert Approaches" (Yu. A. Cherepkov, 223rd Center for Aviation Medicine, Republic of Belarus);
      - "New ICAO and EU Directions in Aviation Specialist Certification." "Information on the Activities of the European Association of Aviation and Space Medicine" (Roland Vermeiren, Eurocontrol, Belgium);
      - "The Role of the Sanitary and Quarantine Service in Border Protection from the Importation and Spread of Quarantine and Other Dangerous Infections" (B. Sh. Shaikhin, Department of State Sanitary Supervision in Air Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan).
      A total of 28 reports were heard and discussed. The CAAC meeting was held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere, with a high level of participation from its members. Deficiencies in the implementation of aeromedical regulations in a number of countries were noted. Information was provided on swine flu and its prevention.
     Attention was drawn to the need to introduce in states the Aviation Regulations "Medical Certification of Aviation Specialists" and "Medical Support for Civil Aviation Flights", approved by the Council on Aviation and Use of Airspace, as well as the Council for Cooperation in the Field of CIS Healthcare.
     It is recommended to establish aviation medicine departments within the aviation authorities of the States Parties to the Agreement on Civil Aviation and the Use of Airspace, or to introduce the position of consultant-coordinator for this area of ​​activity, as well as to accelerate the introduction of the specialty of "aviation medicine" and corresponding positions into the nomenclature of the ministries of health of the states.
The CAAC approved the development and publication of a Methodological Guide for Providing First Aid to Passengers in Flight, the introduction of a modified Coriolis acceleration cumulation test into civil aviation medical examination practice, a modification of the medical record for aviation specialists, as well as the publication of the Aviation Regulations "Disinfection of Civil Aviation Aircraft..." and the Methodological Recommendations "Prevention of Malaria in Aircraft Crews."
    The need to study flight crew diets and test natural food products in aviation medical facilities with subsequent implementation into flight practice was noted. 
      The draft resolution of the CAAC was unanimously approved by the Council members, 
     
It was proposed to hold the next 7th off-site meeting of the CAAC in the Republic of Tajikistan.