Minor medical injuries and illnesses are common occurences when serving abroad. Is your team ready to respond?

Basic Skills

Whenever possible, it is best to have someone on site who is a trained medical professional. He/she can do an immediate assessment and administer first aid or quickly seek additional medical help. If a trained medical professional is not available, you should have someone on staff who is trained in basic first-aid skills, CPR, and AED use. This person should be the assigned point of contact for all injuries and illnesses and should document all medical-related incidents.

First-Aid Kit

First-aid kits are relatively easy to assemble. If you choose to purchase a medical kit, you may need to add to it. Below are some items to consider including in your first-aid kit:

• Adhesive bandages or gauze with tape
• Alcohol swabs for disinfection, in individual packets
• Antibacterial soap, hand wipes or waterless gel
• Antifungal ointment or powder
• Antihistamine (e.g., Benadryl, Chlor-Trimeton) for allergic reactions
• Anti-motility medication (e.g., Imodium or Lomotil)
• Bandage rolls (e.g., Ace wraps) for sprains and strains
• Antibiotic ointment
• Bismuth subsalicylate (e.g., Pepto-Bismol) for intestinal distress
• Epi pen and Benadryl for allergic reactions i.e. bee string reactions
• Cough syrup or lozenges
• Disinfectant for cuts and scrapes
• Hydrocortisone cream (topical cream for itching, bites and skin irritation)
• Insect repellent with DEET
• Laxative/stool softener
• Oral rehydration solution (ORS) for diarrhea, dehydration
• Pain relievers (e.g., acetaminophen, aspirin, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Motrin)
• Prescription medication (labeled, in original bottles)
• Thermometer
• Tweezers
• (Plus other items as suggested by your doctor)