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Your Travel Medical Kit

 

When you travel, do you routinely take a Medical Kit with you?

Have you ever really thought of making one?

 

Chances are, you may in fact never need anything from it. One thing for sure, however, is that it will give you such peace of mind if you pack a well-stocked one. So, what should you actually include? See our list below. Also further below are many options you can choose to buy.

 

 

MEDICINES

Prescription medicines (usually taken by the family) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have a severe allergy and epinephrine has been prescribed by your doctor, bring your Epinephrine auto-injector (for example, an EpiPen).

• Special prescriptions for the trip

  • Medicines to prevent malaria, if needed

  • Antibiotic prescribed by your doctor for self-treatment of moderate to severe diarrhea

• Over-the-counter medicines

  • Antidiarrheal medication (for example, bismuth subsalicylate, loperamide)

  • Antihistamine

  • Decongestant, alone or in combination with antihistamine

  • Anti-motion sickness medication

  • Medicine for pain or fever (such as acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen)

  • Mild laxative

  • Cough suppressant/expectorant

  • Cough drops

  • Antacid

  • Antifungal and antibacterial ointments or creams

  • 1% hydrocortisone cream

Other important items

Other items that may be useful in certain circumstances

• • Supplies to prevent illness or injury

    • Insect repellent containing DEET (30%-50%) or picaridin (up to 15%)

    • Sunscreen (preferably SPF 15 or greater) that has both UVA and UVB protection

    • Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol

    • Lubricating eye drops

  • First-aid supplies

    • First aid quick reference card

    • Basic first-aid items (bandages, gauze, ace bandage, antiseptic, tweezers, scissors, cotton-tipped applicators)

    • Moleskin for blisters

    • Aloe gel for sunburns

    • Digital thermometer

    • Oral rehydration solution packets

  • Health insurance card (either your regular plan or supplemental travel health insurance plan) and copies of claim forms

  • Mild sedative or other sleep aid

  • Medicine to prevent altitude sickness

  • Water purification tablets

  • Commercial suture/syringe kits to be used by local health-care provider. (These items will also require a letter on letterhead stationery from the prescribing physician.)

  • Latex condoms

  • Child safety seats

  • Bicycle helmet

 

 

 

First aid kit 

A basic first aid kit includes:

• antiseptic 
• painkillers
• wound-cleaning gauze 
• sterile dressings 
• bandage tape 
• plasters 
• tweezers 
• scissors 
• thermometer 
• antihistamines
• sunburn treatment 
• insect repellent
• insect bite treatment
• medication for pre-existing medical conditions 
• condoms

For more detailed information, read Your medicine cabinet.

Sunscreen

The sunscreen label should have:

• the letters "UVA" in a circle logo and at least four-star UVA protection 
• at least SPF15 sunscreen to protect against UVB 

Country-specific advice

For more adventurous travel and depending on where you're going, you could consider:

• anti-diarrhoea medication  
• rehydration sachets 
• anti-malaria medication
• mosquito net 
• water disinfectant