Medical Devices and Supplies

Use battery powered flash lights instead of gas lights or
torches when using oxygen.

Mothers with small asthmatic children, inspect thespacers to ensure the spacer for the asthma inhalers areworking in the event a replacement is needed.

Check to ensure that all power cords and batteries are dry
and not damaged by water.
Have at least one month’s supply of lancets, glucose meter
strips and any other medical supplies you use.

Contact your hospital, physician or your pharmacist if
you think you would need a backup device.
Have extra sets of batteries for glucose meters and insulin
pumps.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development aspires toprovide leadership that promotes health, social well-being
and a safe environment as positive resources for living
and the sustainable development of the Virgin Islands.

Keep medical devices and supplies clean and dry.

Contact Information#33 Admin Drive, Road Town
Tortola, VG1110
British Virgin Islands
Tel: 1 284 468 4398
Fax: 1 284 494 5018
Email: ministryofhealth@gov.vg

Hurricane safety during andafter a hurricane…..

Keep a list of all yourmedicines:

If you are taking medications, these tips can address yourmedicine needs during and after the hurricane season:

This should include:At the beginning of hurricane
season (June 1st) keep at least one
month’s supply of the medicines
you take at home. For example,
medicines for hypertension(high blood pressure), diabetes(blood sugar), asthma and otherconditions.
Parents should ensure that there issufficient fever reducing medicine
for children, especially babies andtoddlers.

Ask the pharmacist to dispense themedicines in an amber coloured
bottle with a screw top or snap lidcontainer and not in plastic bags.

In preparation for the impact of a hurricane,keep your medicine containers in zip-locked
plastic bags. Store them in your home where
flooding is unlikely to occur.

The contact information for thepharmacy where themedicines was filled* If water has entered the containers and contaminatedthe medicine, the containers should be taken back to
the pharmacy as soon as possible for replacement.
DO NOT DISCARD THE MEDICINE!

The physician’s nameand contact information

How frequently themedicines should betaken

The names of themedicines

The doses of themedicines

If you relocate to a shelter or another dwelling before ahurricane impact, please take your medicines with you.
If your medicines fall into water, examine the zip locked
bag carefully to see if any water entered the bag.
If no water has entered the bag then the medicine is safefor taking however, the medicine should beput into a new
zip lock bag.
If water has penetrated the zip lock bag, remove themedicine containers immediately. Rinse and dry thecontainers immediately and then carefully remove thecovers to see if water entered the containers.
*If no water has entered the containers, contaminating
the medicine, then the medicine is safe for taking.

Insulin education during andafter a Hurricane
Do not store insulin near direct
heat. Insulin should be stored ina cool location. Keep insulin outof direct sunlight.
During and after a hurricane,
refrigeration may not bepossible,. However most insulin
manufactured today can beleft unrefrigerated once stored between 59-86 degrees
Farenheit or 15-30 degrees Celsius for up to 28 days andstill maintain potency.
If you use an insulin pump, make sure you have an extra
infusion set, cartridge, batteries and one month’s supplyof insulin.
A travel insulated bag can be bought to store the insulin
in, the event of a power outage during hurricane season.
If you have a cooler, place the insulin in a plastic bag, thenplace the plastic bag in a tightly sealed plastic container.
Place this container into the cooler with cooler packs orice. Do not put the insulin bottle or insulin pens directly
on cooler packs or ice as it will freeze. Frozen insulin
CANNOT be used.
Frozen insulin should be thrown away and not thawed foradministration.
If you are not sure about your storage conditions, speak toyour pharmacist about a replacement for your insulin assoon as possible after the hurricane has passed.