How to pack for a Salud y Paz Rural Medical team.
This document was provided by Dr. Craig Dietz who provided many rural medical teams for us. Of course each physician may wish to make some changes, but this combo has worked well for many teams here in Guatemala. If your team includes dentists, you will want to view the rural dental clinic page also.
Many of the medicines and supplies can be found by clicking on Blessings International.
Sample Packing List Craig A. Dietz,D.O.
Clinical Medical Director
Kansas City Free Health Clinic
Below is a sample packing list that we have used when going to remote sites in rural Guatemala. Depending on the location and season, some of these items could vary.
In general these are the 5 bags you will need. Many of the items listed are Brand Names, but, as always, the generic equivalents are just as effective.
Bag 1: Supplies
Paper towels 1 or 2 rolls
Hand sanitizer one for each station
Baby wipes 2 boxes
Medicine cups 2 dozen
Sharpie Markers 6
Paper tape 2 or 3 rolls
BP cuffs 2 or 3
Digital Thermometers – oral and tympanic 2 each
Portable Oto/Opthalmoscopes – one set per physician
Otoscope nasal Specula at least 25, can be washed and reused
Plastic or paper table cloths to cover benches/makeshift exam tables 4
Hand towels-blue surgical type or basic towels 4
Ink Pens or Mechanical Pencils 2 boxes
AA batteries 8
Flashlights- two per physician
Pocket Knife/Camping Knife
Large Scissors/Shears-capable of cutting clothes, heavy tape
Latex Gloves less than one box if not doing surgical procedures
Zip Lock Bags Small sandwich style or similar item, 500 for dispensing meds
Large zip lock bags or equivalent bags for multiple meds 300
Labels or stickers for labeling medications for patients in Spanish 500
Bottled water 2 gallons per day
Stethoscopes 2 for Blood Pressure/Intake and 1 per physician
Medical Spanish Dictionary – one per station
Pocket Drug/Dosage Reference guides 1 per physician and 1 per pharmacy
Tape Measure & Scales (for Ht./Wt.)
Rubbing Alcohol 1 large bottle
Hydrogen peroxide 1 large Bottle
Q-tips, one box
Band Aids 100
Tongue Depressors at least #200
Betadine Swabs 1 dozen packets
Pregnancy Tests-urine #6
Glucometer #1
Epi-Pens#2
Plastic trash bags #15
Medicine syringes for administering oral liquids for infants #30
Lighter/Matches
3×5 note cards or larger, to use as temporary medical record, record vitals and write orders for dispensary #400
Bag #2 Antibiotics
Metrondiazole (Flagyl) 250mg tablets, 500mg tablets at least #200 of each
Metrondiazole Liquid 125mg/5ml pediatric #20 bottles
Ciprofloxacin 500mg #500 tablets
Fluconazole (Diflucan) 150mg #100
Amoxicillin 250mg tablets, 500mg tablets at least #500 of each
Amoxicillin Liquid 125mg/5ml pediatric #15-20
Amoxicillin Liquid 250mg/5ml pediatric #15-20
Augmentin 850mg tablets #50
Augmentin 600mg liquid #30
Bactrim DS (Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole) tablets #500
Cephalexin 500mg #500 tablets or capsules
Cephalexin Liquid 125/5ml and 250/5ml pediatric #20
Zithromax 250mg #50 tablets
Zithromax Liquid pediatric suspension #5
Assorted liquid and chewable antibiotics for infants and children
i.e. Cefzil, Cefuroxime, Cefizox, Vantin, Omnicef, Lorabid, Ceftin, etc.
Albendazole chewables 400mg #500
Doxycycline 100mg capsules #500
Clarithromycin (BiaxinXL) 500mg #100
Valacyclovir (Valtrex) or Acyclovir Anti-virals all dosages #500
5-6 Plastic Cups
Plastic Beaker or cup with measurements in CC’s or Ounces for Mixing Liquid Meds
15 empty medicine bottles for distributing liquid meds from stock bottles
Bag #3 EENT/Cough, Cold & Allergy and Analgesics
Children’s/Infant
Advil Liquid and Drops #20 boxes
Children’s Tylenol Liquid and Drops#20
Dimetapp Elixir-Cold and Allergy #30
Cough Syrups and Drops #30 individual or large stock bottles
i.e. Rondec, Robitussin, Rynatan, Triaminic
Chewable Tylenol or Acetaminophen #200
Baby Aspirin #200
Diphenhydramine/Benadryl Liquid #2 large bottles
Adult
Benadryl Tablets #300
Allegra/Claritin/Clarinex/Zyrtec #200
Assorted Adult Over-the-Counter Cough, Cold and Allergy Remedies #200 tabs
Sudafed #50
Adult Cough Syrups bulk bottles #1-2 or #10 individual
Visine Eye Drops #10
Visine Allergy Eyes #10
Saline Eye Drops #10
Assorted Nasal Sprays, Saline Sprays #5
Steroid Nasal Spray- Rhinocort, Nasarel, etc #5
Antibiotic Eye Drops: Oculfox, Cortisporin, Tobrex, Polysporin, Viroptic #15
Antihistamine Eye Drops:Optivar #5
Analgesic Eye Drops: Proparicaine or Tetracaine #5
Ear Drops: Cipro Otic #2-3
Cortisporin Otic #2-3
Debrox #3
Throat Lozenges: Cepacol/Halls #200
Albuterol/Proventil Inhalers #10
Combivent Inhalers #5 asthma/COPD
Steroid Asthma Inhalers #5 for adults and children
Tylenol 500mg Tablets or Capsules #1000
Ibuprofen 400mg, 600mg, 800mg #250 of each
Aspirin 325mp #500
Naproxen Sodium(Aleve) 250mg #500
Flexeril 10mg #100
Imitrex/Zomig Migraine Headache meds #10
Prednisone 5mg, 10mg tablets #100
Bag #4 Gastrointestinal Agents
Tums/Rolaids #1000 tablets
Zantac 150mg, 300mg #500 tablets
Other brands: Pepcid, Axid, Tagamet (H2-blockers)
Nexium, Protonix, Prevacid or Aciphex (PPI’s) #400 tablets
Simethicone tablets #300 (Gas-X, Phazyme)
Mylanta or Maalox #3 stock bottles
Hemorrhoidal agents, Preparation H #1 box
Anusol suppositories 1 box
Pepto-Bismol tablets #200
Anti-emetics, Anti-nausea:
Phenergan 25mg #50
Zofran 8mg #20
Compazine tablets or liquid #50
Anti-diarrheals:
Imodium AD #50
Kaeopectate tabs or liquid #30
Laxatives:
Colace tablets 50mg #200, liquid for children
Fibercon tablets #100
Senokot #50
Bag #5 Topical Agents/Accessories
Gauze Pads 4X4’s 30, 2X2’s 30. Kerlix Rolls #2
Assorted wound dressings.
Ace Wraps Small, Medium, Large, one or two of each
Dressing Tape #2
Suture Removal Kits #2 should contain small scissors, forceps for debridement,
and attending to minor injuries
Lidocaine 1%, #1
Syringes 5cc or smaller #10
Triple Antibiotic Ointment #20
i.e. Bacitracin, Polysporin, Neosporin
Antiseptic wound cleanser
Lidocaine gel 1% #1 large tube
Antifungal/Athletes Foot Creams #25
i.e. Clotrimazole, nystatin, Toflanate, Miconazole
Destin Diaper Rash Cream #10
Hydrocortisone Cream #25
RID-X Lice Shampoos #30
Lindane Lotion or Shampoo #50***** for scabies
Acticin cream- scabies #5
Body and Face lotion any brands sample size #40
Body soap any brands, sample sizes #40
Calamine lotion #1 bottle
Silvadene Cream- for burns #2 large containers
For Blood Pressure emergencies:
Propanolol 40 mg tablets #30 or other beta-blocker
Clonidine 0.2mg #30
