Where There Is No Doctor - A Village Health Care Handbook (Hesperian Foundation, 1993, 516 p.): Chapter 23 - THE MEDICINE KIT: The Village Medicine Kit

Where There Is No Doctor - A Village Health Care Handbook (Hesperian Foundation, 1993, 516 p.)

Chapter 23 - THE MEDICINE KIT

		(introduction...)
		How to Care for Your Medicine Kit
		Buying Supplies for the Medicine Kit
		The Home Medicine Kit
		The Village Medicine Kit
		Words to the Village Storekeeper (or Pharmacist)

The Village Medicine Kit

This should have all the medicines and supplies mentioned in the Home Medicine Kit, but in larger amounts, depending on the size of your village and distance from a supply center. The Village Kit should also include the things listed here; many of them are for treatment of more dangerous illnesses. You will have to change or add to the list depending on the diseases in your area.

ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES

Use	Supply	Price	Amount
FOR INJECTING:	syringes, 5 ml. needle's #22, 3 cm. long #25, 1 1/2 cm, long	_____	2 3-6 2-4
FOR TROUBLE URINATING:	catheter (rubber or plastic #16 French)	_____	2
FOR SPRAINS AND SWOLLEN VEINS:	elastic bandages, 2 and 3 inches wide	_____	3-6
FOR SUCKING OUT MUCUS:	suction bulb	_____	1-2
FOR LOOKING IN EARS, ETC.:	penlight (small flashlight)	_____	1

ADDITIONAL MEDICINES

Use	Medicine	Local Brand	Price	Amount
FOR SEVERE INFECTIONS:
	1. Penicillin, injectable; if only one, procaine penicillin 600,000 U. per ml.	_____	_____	20-40
	2. Ampicillin, injectable 250 mg. ampules			20-40
	and/or streptomycin 1 gm. vials for combined use with penicillin (if ampicillin is too expensive)	_____	_____	20-40
	3. Tetracycline, capsules or tablets 250 mg.	_____	_____	40-80
FOR AMEBA AND GIARDIA INFECTIONS:
	4. Metronidazole, 250 mg. tablets	_____	_____	40-80
FOR FITS, TETANUS, AND SEVERE WHOOPING COUGH:
	5. Phenobarbital 15 mg. tablets			40-80
	and 200 mg. injections	_____	_____	15-30
FOR SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTIONS AND SEVERE ASTHMA:
	6. Epinephrine (Adrenalin) injections, ampules with 1 mg.	_____	_____	5-10
FOR ASTHMA:
	7. Ephedrine, 15 mg. tablets	_____	_____	20-100
FOR SEVERE BLEEDING AFTER CHILDBIRTH:
	8. Ergonovine, injections of 0.2 mg.	_____	_____	6-12

OTHER MEDICINES NEEDED IN MANY BUT NOT ALL AREAS
WHERE DRY EYES (XEROPHTHALMIA) IS A PROBLEM:
	Vitamin A, 200,000 U. capsules	_____	_____	10-100
WHERE TETANUS IS A PROBLEM:
	Tetanus antitoxin, 50,000 units (Lyophilized if possible)	_____	_____	2-4 bottles
WHERE SNAKEBITE OR SCORPION STING IS A PROBLEM:
	Specific antivenom	_____	_____	2-6
WHERE MALARIA IS A PROBLEM:
	Chloroquine tablets with 150 mg. of base	_____	_____	50-200
	(or whatever medicine works best in your area)	_____	_____
TO PREVENT OR TREAT BLEEDING IN UNDERWEIGHT NEWBORNS:
	Vitamin K, injections of 1 mg.	_____	____	3-6

MEDICINES FOR CHRONIC DISEASES

It may or may not be wise to have medicines for chronic diseases such as tuberculosis, leprosy, and schistosomiasis in the Village Medicine Kit. To be sure a person has one of these diseases, often special tests must be made in a health center, where the necessary medicine can usually be obtained. Whether these and other medicines are included in the village medical supplies will depend on the local situation and the medical ability of those responsible.

VACCINES

Vaccines have not been included in the Village Medicine Kit because they are usually provided by the Health Department. However, a great effort should be made to see that all children are vaccinated as soon as they are old enough for the different vaccines. Therefore, if refrigeration is available, vaccines should be part of the village medical supplies-especially the DPT, polio, and measles vaccines.