isabel25

I'm leaving early Thursday morning for Africa -- YAY!!! Can't wait!!!

Like almost everyone else, I'm heading to Africa with Cipro, a small first aid kit (mine has clean needles and IV supplies, along with the usual band-aids etc), deet, and various other remedies "just in case." Like almost everyone else, I probably won't need most of these supplies, and I'll probably just carelessly throw them in a drawer when I get home, where they'll sit until they expire.

This got me thinking about how valuable these items might be in rural medical clinics in Africa, where a course of Cipro might save someone's life. Is there a way to donate these kinds of supplies at the end of a trip? It seems unlikely that even poorest community clinic could accept a donation of random prescription drugs, but I'm wondering if there is any way that the pharmacist could package the filled prescriptions to make them donation-worthy. I'm thinking that maybe Cipro is available tamper-proof blister packs, or maybe the pharmacy can put some sort of seal on the bottle as a guarantee of authenticity. Similarly, I was planning to take a small amount of benadryl and advil with me, and was intending to take it out of the package to save space, but maybe it's better to leave it in its original packaging.

Has anyone looked into this? In some ways, the economics of these sorts of donations don't make sense since non-generic medications are much cheaper in Africa than in the states, but it seems to me that a lot of these "just in case" Cipro prescriptions filled in the U.S. ultimately go to waste.

divine54

isabel25
you can donate your meds easily to a doctor or clinic in a rural area.
don't compare it with doctors or clinis in the "western" countries where this wouldn't be accepted due to obvious reasons.
as long as there is an information in english it will be fine as some brands have other names in africa.
your contribution will be highly appreciated!

have a wonderful trip - happy landings

div

safarichuck

isabel,
Cipro, like all antibiotics have a shelf life. It is a first line antibiotic for the treatment of anthrax and was stockpiled just recently due to concerns that anthrax might be used by as a weapon. Doctors were informed by Bayer (manufacturer) that Cipro had a shelf life of 7-8 years. Make certain that your pharmacist indicates the epiration date on your Cipro "on the label". Without that information a doctor would be taking a dangerous chance in using it because he would have no way of knowing how effective the dosage he was using was against the infective agent. If you explain your intentions to your pharmacist, he/she can assist in selecting the most recent stock off of their shelf. Nice idea, I hope you follow through. You have no idea how poorly equipped those African clinics are.
Chuck

safarichuck

Just a quick warning, I wouldn't confide my intentions with an online or mailorder healthcare drug program, just instore, person to person, with the pharmacist. Laws prohibit redistribution of Rx meds.
Chuck

luangwablondes

In Africa, the clinics don't necessarily have or use the same drugs or call them by the same names. If giving to a local clinic, supply all the info on dosages, specific treatment for what, etc. The local remote clinics do not necessarily have those books with all that info we have in the states.

Cipro is a good example- its an expensive drug; different and cheaper drugs are used for treatment.

ann_nyc

When a travel companion asked the same question at a clinic in Africa recently, she was told that the medical clinic could accept meds as long as it was an un-expired, un-opened bottle, with full information about the exact contents (with actual drug name not just brand name). However, it is likely that various clinics have different policies, depending on the laws of the country they are in, as well as the relative scarcity of the supplies.

And they were also very glad for any first aid supplies.

I'm sure it goes without saying, but anything that is open or damaged or dirty in any way, we wouldn't use at home, and also shouldn't expect to donate.