index | site contents | practice charter | who's who | contact | news | health information | travelling | teaching | useful links

Emergency Medical Travel Kits

These contain a variety of sterilised and sealed items of equipment, such as syringes, needles and suture materials, and may be purchased through a pharmacist, private medical centre, or from a number of other suppliers. They should normally be handed to a doctor or nurse for use in a medical emergency in a country where the safety of such items cannot be assured.

A typical kit should contain:

• 2 x 5ml syringes
• 5 x needles (preferably two sizes)
• 1 dental needle
• 1 intravenous cannula
• 1 skin suture with needle
• 1 packet skin closure strips
• 5 alcohol swabs for skin cleansing
• 5cm x 5cm and 10cm x 10cm non-stick dressings
• 1 roll surgical tape

Additional items such as an intravenous-giving set and a blood substitute solution may be advised for journeys to remote areas. Your doctor will be able to provide more information.

Emergency medical travel kits should carry sufficient identification to ensure their acceptance by Customs officials but the contents should not be opened until needed. It is also unwise to carry loose syringes or needles unless you have a doctor's letter explaining their purpose - if, for example, you are a diabetic.

Carry a first aid kit

A packet of adhesive dressings, some insect repellent, antiseptic cream and water-sterilisation tablets will take up little space and could be useful.

Return to Travel Information.