Medical support for a overseas mission trip

This email request is from a fellow nurse

Dear Benjamin

I will be going on a mission trip organized by my church to Sibu Sarawak. As I am the only one among those going for the trip who has first aid training, I have volunteered to be their safety coordinator. We will not be going into the jungle.  We may pay a visit to local orphanage or old folks home and long house while we are there.

      Objectives of this trip
·       To support training for women from the Iban Women’s Ministry in a West Malaysian Church,
·       To develop missions awareness and participation through bible studies,
·       To participate in a Spiritual Retreat.
 
 My duties would include:
·       Discuss team safety and necessary medical precautions.
·       Provide a written itinerary with contact phone numbers.
·       Gather Health and Safety Information such as Emergency Numbers, Medical facilities, First Aid Kit etc…
·       In the event of a serious illness or fatality, to be able to act promptly and with great care.
·       Be familiar with the arrangements for medical assistance, evacuation in case of severe weather, social upheaval etc…

I have already advised the team members to buy traveler insurance and those with chronic condition to bring their own medication. As this will be my first mission trip cum first time been safety coordinator thus I am quite unsure about what I should prepare and what I need to know. Thus I wish to seek your kind advice.


                   
My reply

Here are my recommendations for your Sibu trip

I found 2 Sibu hospitals with A&E facilities

1. Sibu Hospital - Government
Address: KM 5 1/2, Jalan Ulu Oya, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak, Malaysia
Phone: +60 84-343 333

Sibu Hospital is the second largest hospital in the state of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is the main tertiary and referral hospital for the Central Region of Sarawak, Malaysia. The emergency and trauma Department (A & E) provides emergency treatment of trauma or non-trauma patients. It operates for 24/7. It is also a center of integrated services ( one-stop crisis centers ) provide emergency treatment and stabilization of patients.

2.KPJ Sibu Specialist Medical Centre - Private centre
No 52A-G, Brooke Drive 96000 Sibu, 
Sarawak, East Malaysia,.
Malaysia. 
Tel: 084 - 329900 

Operates 24/7 and has 24-hours ambulance services. Is is equipped with a minor operation theatre for minor surgeries and other emergency procedures. 

 There are 2 Guardian stores @ Sibu where you can top up OTC medicines
1. Address
LOT F16, GIANT HYPERMARKET SIBU, LOT 1304, BLOCK 3, SG. MERAH TOWN, JALAN LING KAI CHENG,
Postal Code:96000
City/Town:SIBU
State:Sarawak
Tel No:084- 314718
Operating Hour:10:00 hrs - 22:00 hrs

2.Address LEVEL 1 WISMA SANYAN LOT 6999 BLOCK 5 JALAN CAUSEWAY
Postal Code:96000
City/Town:SIBU
State:Sarawak
Tel No:084-347 859
Operating Hour:9:30 hrs - 22:00 hrs

I am recommending these following medicines which you can dispense comfortably at your training level.  You can get these medicines from the polyclinic doctor. Keep the medicines in their original packages with your name pasted on them because medicines need to be properly labeled to get through Malaysian customs. Otherwise the immigration officer might suspect you are bringing in illegal medicine.

Useful medications

Panadol
Loratidine
Dextrometorphan
Stemetil - motion sickness and nauseau
Lomotil
Antacid
ketoprofen plaster - for muscle pains
Betnovate cream 


Useful bandages
Handiplast
Big plaster for bigger wounds
gauze
crepe bandage

Other equipment
Torch
Scissors
Gloves
Thermometer

A resus mask is not necessary. Just do your chest compression first and activate the ambulance service. I am assuming no one else in your team is CPR trained. I had trained nurses in my church trip.

For emergency evacuation back to Singapore, you need to have the travel insurance company telephone number at hand and you need a liasing person /friend in Singapore to help you with the arrangements. Just send the sick person to the hospital first and contact the insurance company and friend. God willing this doesn't happen

Ben