In many less developed countries, viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C are rife and can be transferred in the blood. Some of these countries do not have medical standards as high as those in the UK and equipment used may not be adequately sterilised, blood used for transfusions may not be screened for HIV, Hepatitis B and C. You quickly realise how, even if you are careful, a sterile travel first aid kit can quickly mean the difference between life and death.

Minor injuries:

Cuts, grazes and burns are common when travelling and you should ensure you carry supplies to be able to self-treat any of these ailments. Your wounds are more susceptible to infection if you are travelling areas with poor sanitation or where there is a lot of dust. Wounds should be cleaned immediately, covered and if any signs of infection develop you should seek urgent medical help.

Insurance:

Things can go wrong when travelling, accidents can occur or you could get sick or injured on your trip. You might get hit by a dangerous driver, twist your ankle playing football, or just catch a good old fashioned tummy bug. Ensure you have comprehensive travel insurance that will adequately cover you in the event that you get sick or injured. Pre-existing medical conditions must be disclosed to your insurance company, as non-disclosure could invalidate your claim.

Make sure your insurance covers you for all the activities you wish to experience on your travels and includes cover for medical evacuation, personal injury and terrorist activity. A frightening statistic is that only 60% of insurance policies cover terrorism, so make sure you read the small print and have adequate cover.

What does my travel first aid kit need to have in it?

The exact contents will vary depending on your specific requirements. Things to consider adding to your travel first aid kit include:

Emergency Medications: antibiotics for wounds that have become infected, pain killers, prescribed medications - keep these in original packaging.

Diarrhoea Treatment: oral rehydration salts, especially for children. Prevention is the best cure, so start taking antidiarrhoeal medication from a couple of weeks before you leave. Alcohol hand gel can be useful for when there are no hand washing facilities available.

Injuries: swabs and dressings.

Lotions: you can purchase treatments for eye infections from your local pharmacy, an antibiotic ointment for skin infections such as fucidin and a cream to apply to burns may be useful. An antihistamine cream is useful for treating rashes and insect bites.

Equipment: a digital thermometer, sterile gloves, ticket removers and safety pins, tweezers, scissors.

Mosquitoes: mosquito nets, insect repellents .

Sterile Equipment: sterile needles and syringes, intravenous cannula for a drip, suture material for sewing up skin. These should be in a specially designed kit. Do not carry single needles and syringes as customs may suspect they are for drug use. Purchase a specially prepared sterile first aid kit that includes a declaration that the contents are for personal medical use in an emergency.

Documentation: first aid book, details of blood group and regular medication, copies of prescriptions if carrying prescribed medication.