Black sea medicine

Contents

 

Introduction   ........................................................................................................................................ 3

 

Black Sea Countries Health Systems   ................................................................................................... 4

 

Travel Medicine on the Black Sea   ...................................................................................................... 21

 

An Approach To Counselling Travellers Going To Altitude   ................................................................. 37

 

Scuba Medicine   ................................................................................................................................. 43

 

Cruise Ship Medicine   ......................................................................................................................... 51

 

In Flight Emergencies   ......................................................................................................................... 70

 

The Dark Side of Travel   .................................................................................................................... 85

 

Highlights of the Eastern European Neurology Association   ................................................................. 106

 

Volunteering in the Ukraine   ............................................................................................................... 107

 

d
Introduction

 


The following lectures were originally prepared as an Introductory series to Travel Medicine for family physicians while aboard a Cruise ship starting in Athens and proceeding through Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and Back to Greece. The attendees were to learn about Travel and Geographic Medicine while travelling.

 

I had also attended the Eastern European Neurologist Association held in April of this year and was able to meet many Ukrainian Physicians. Attending this conference and speaking with the various delegates provided useful information for the Black Sea Meeting later in July.

 

The general topics on Travel Medicine were selected to give a good introduction.

The session on Black Sea countries includes a comparison of the various countries visited. In Odessa a brief meeting was also conducted with 2 local physicians who described their clinical practices.

The Dark Side of Travel was specially written to address pressing social issues regarding Travelers that travel medicine rarely effectively deals with yet have a huge impact on Human Health worldwide.

 

After the conference we held a follow-up meeting in Winnipeg Manitoba to present the conclusions of the Eastern European Neurologist Association and an update on the current conditions in Ukraine- both political and Health related.

 

Roman Yerniuk and Tim Podolsky who together travelled to Western Ukraine to organize Youth camps this past summer also joined us and spoke about their experiences. These camps were for both Canadian and Ukrainian youths who were brought together to learn on. Roman is also involved in several philanthropic organizations helping orphans and underprivileged groups in Ukraine. He may be contacted for updates on his present and future projects for Ukraine. Ukraine is a very interesting country and deserves attention.

Travelers now have greater access to this region. Tourism is underdeveloped at present but promised to rapidly begin. These notes are also meant to help travelers and International workers to Ukraine and other eastern European countries.

 

 

 

Gary Podolsky