Resuscitation/surgical instruments

The kit has been designed for general medicine under primitive conditions, and for that reason no equipment for resuscitation or major surgery has been included. In situations of war, earthquakes or epidemics, specialized teams with medical equipment and supplies will be required.

Sterilization

A complete sterilization set is provided in the kit. The basic units contain two small drums each for sterile dressing materials. Two drums are included to enable the alternate sterilization of one at the first referral level while the other is being used in the peripheral facility. The supplementary unit contains a kerosene stove and two pressure sterilizers, a small one for sterilizing 2 ml and 5 ml syringes, and a larger one for the small drums with dressing materials and the instrument sets.

Dilution and storage of liquids

The kit contains several plastic bottles and a few large disposable syringes which are needed to dilute and store liquids (e.g. benzyl benzoate, chlorhexidine and gentian violet solution).

Water supply

The kit contains several items to help provide for clean water at the health facility. Each basic unit contains a 20 litre foldable jerrycan and two 12 litre plastic buckets. The supplementary unit contains a water filter with candles and tablets of sodium dichloroiso-cynanurate (NaDCC) to chlorinate the water⁴

⁴Each effervescent tablet containing 1.67 g of NaDCC releases 1 g of available chlorine when disolved in water. NaDCC also goes under the name of sodium troclosene or sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione.