Within the framework of the National Civil Aviation Infrastructure Exhibition NAIS 2024, the conference “Modern approaches to flight safety management and personnel training” was held. The event discussed topics related to the provision of medical assistance on board a civil aviation aircraft by passenger medical personnel.
If a passenger requires medical assistance during a flight, flight attendants may not use medicines belonging to other passengers. It is allowed to use standard first aid kits, which are provided with the aircraft, or medicines from a special kit given to the crew before the flight. A flight attendant may take a passenger’s blood pressure, but may not administer injections. In case of a serious threat to the health of a passenger, the crew may request assistance from medical personnel among other passengers, if any. As flight attendants note, as a rule, such people are found.
The President of the Association of Aviation Medicine Doctors (AVAM), Dr Olga Verba, M.D., made a report on the practice of providing medical assistance to crew members and passengers in case of medical accidents during the flight. Olga Verba touched upon the aspects of first aid on board in case of emergencies and presented the programme “Doctors on Board”, where the issues of improving the flight safety system both at the organisational and legislative levels were raised.
As a result of the conference, a discussion was held on the problems of flight safety in civil aviation. The participants drew attention to the lack of protocols on medical accidents on board for passengers and crew members. Lack of statistical data hinders the analyses needed to improve flight safety. Also discussed was the lack of technical tools and legislation for advisory assistance from the ground when medical emergencies need to be treated in the aircraft during flight.
The discussion noted the insufficiency of the Ministry of Transport’s methodological recommendations “Provision of civil aviation aircraft with medicines and medical devices. First aid and medical assistance to passengers and crew members on board an aircraft” dated 15 April 2022 It was proposed to pay special attention to the development of regulatory documents protecting a medical worker from among passengers, providing assistance, now legally such a doctor or nurse is not protected in any way. The Association of Aviation Medicine Doctors took the initiative to actively participate in the discussion and development of a regulatory framework for the protection of medical personnel.
