What’s in a Good Medical Kit?
You need to plan ahead to organize your personal medical equipment for a rigorous high altitude expedition β whether youβre climbing or trekking, dedicate some forethought to researching the local risks, potential disease exposures, and typical injuries you may encounter. No matter how much equipment you decide to bring, you cannot possibly prepare for every eventuality.
So, what should you take? Minimalists might say, ‘nothing but a triangular bandage and Swiss army knife,’ and others might assemble a collection that would stagger a porter. Remember, overly bulky kits are often left behind.
A good medical kit is not only necessary for hiking or trekking, but they are also crucial for other purposes. If you are wondering what they may contain, a good medical kit can even contain properly working HIV testing tools along with other medical stuff!
The contents of a kit depend on many on many factors:
– Environmental extremese
– Endemic diseases (i.e. rabies, malaria, etc)
– Your medical expertise
– Length of trip
– Availability of rescue (i.e. helicopter)
– Distance from definitive medical care
Make sure that your vaccinations are up to date several months before travel. Visit your doctor or local health department for advice, but also do the homework on your own β access the CDC website for up to date information on recommended vaccinations for your destination. – www.cdc.gov
