Emergency Medical Kit for Travel
General items:
- Remember to take any regular prescribed medication (carry this with you)
- Water purifying tablets
- Polythene bags (eg to put ice in for cold compresses in cases of muscle injury)
Bandages and stockings:
- Sticking plasters - various sizes
- Bandages (3" crepe)
- Flight socks/stockings to prevent DVT (deep vein thrombosis)
A set of syringes , needles and intravenous infusion kit available from most travel shops - AIDS is highly prevalent in Africa
Medicines:
Discuss these with your own physician before travelling
Tablets: (the pharmacist will be able to advise on these)
- Anti-diarroea tablets (eg loperamide)
- Antihistamine tablets for allergic reactions (eg desloratadine)
- Travel sickness tablets (eg cinnarazine)
- Analgesics for pain:
- Paracetamol
- Aspirin (if not allergic and on doctors advice for preventing DVT) These may also be helpful if someone has a heart attack (a single aspirin chewed, while waiting for medical assistance)
- A course of antibiotics (a doctors prescription is needed for these, discuss with your doctor). Preferably one that will treat tick-bite fever (eg tetracycline or doxycycline) and a general broad spectrum antibiotic. It is advisable to consult a doctor, however if travelling into remote areas for extended periods, it is wise to carry these medications and obtain advice before travelling, on when to use them.
- Anti-malarial tablets: specific malaria prevention is required in different areas of the world. In the UK these are not available on NHS prescription and need to be purchased over the pharmacy counter. Some anti-malarials are only available on a doctors prescription (to be paid for privately), this dpends upon the areas to be vistited. There are websites where this information may be obtained (click here for links).
Creams:
- Antifungal creamperi-anal thrush often develops due to excess sweating o for athletes foot
- Hydrocortisone cream - 0.5% for irritating insect bites
- Anti-sunburn cream/lotion
- Insect repellent cream (should contain DEET - diethyl toluamide); or spray
- After-bite creams and 'sticks' are often very soothing.
- Antibiotic cream (eg Fucidic acid) - useful for small areas of superficial infection following insect bites.
Eye Drops:
- Artificial tears (for quickly rinsing eyes if an insect has flown in)
- Antibiotic eye drops for conjunctivitis (eg fucidic acid or chloramphenicol)
Particular medical problems
Anyone requiring regular prescribed medication would be wise to consult their doctor before travelling, to ensure adequate supplies of medication are prescribed, letters detailing these medications (for customs in some countries, and in case of urgent medical need while away), and for arrangements to be made with airlines if necessary.
Asthma
Anyone with asthma should consult their doctor before travelling to remote areas. In addition to the usual medication, it is wise to take additional supplies of reliever inhalers, a short course of oral steroid tablets (cortisone, prednisolone), and for those people with life threatening allergies an adrenaline self treatment injection (Epi-Pen in the UK). A self-management plan is essential as well so that you know how to recognise danger signs and know what to do in case your asthma does flare up.
Medical conditions requiring electrical treatment devices:
Many Safari Camps do not have electricity. We once met a man in a safari camp who suffered from sleep apnoea and depended on an electrically powered device to prevent him from stopping breathing while asleep. He had a few very difficult sleepless nights because there was no electricity until the camp staff managed to rig up a battery power supply for him.
Preventing malaria and other insect borne infections:
Preventing insect bites
Mosquitoes may carry malaria as well as yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, dengue and other infections. Ticks may cause tick-bite-fever, and tsetse flies may carry sleeping sickness. Therefore adequate precautions need to be taken to prevent being bitten.
- Long sleeved shirts and trousers particularly early morning and in the evening. Avoid bright coloured clothing, tsetse flies particularly attracted to navy and black.
- Insect repellent creams and sprays help.
- Burn an insect repellent coil at night
- Use an impregnated mosquito net if camping or sleeping in accommodation without netting (such as camper vans)
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- Nothing on this site may be regarded as clinical guidance or diagnosis; the site is intended for use by non-medically qualified members of the general public. The medical advice is not intended to be comprehensive and cannot replace that given by your own doctor.
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