Are there any restrictions on how the contents of a pack are used? Expand We stipulate that all treatments in our packs are dispensed free of charge. Full terms and conditions are set out in the application pack.
Do I need to set anything up in the country I’m travelling to? Expand IHP are committed to the safe and responsible donations of healthcare products. Therefore there are a number of in-country requirements we ask carriers to set up before taking a health pack but don’t worry, IHP will be available to help you every step of the way. We encourage all applicants to speak to their hosts/colleagues in-country to understand what the needs are and how the pack/s would be used. Applicants will need to investigate how the medicines will be safely stored, handled and distributed, and what the customs clearance requirements are for the destination country. As packs include prescription items, a named dispensing pharmacist or doctor needs to receive the pack when it arrives at the facility where it’s going to be used. We can give advice and guidance about how to get this in place.
How big is an Essential Health Pack? Expand A pack comprises two boxes, and each box weighs approximately 11 kilograms. Each box measures approximately 42cm x 42cm x 42cm. Packs are highly durable and portable and can be transported wherever they are needed to act as a mobile pharmacy. They can even be loaded onto a commercial airline as part of an individual’s checked luggage.
How can I transport a pack from the UK to my destination? Expand We ship your pack to a nominated GP surgery, hospital or pharmacy (in the UK). You collect this and take the pack onto your flight as part of your checked luggage, then onwards to the destination, where it will be signed in (as outlined above). Packs are both durable and portable. Many airlines provide excess baggage waivers for those doing humanitarian work. We can help you with getting this waiver.
How do you decide what to put in the packs? Expand Contents are assembled using guidance from the World Health Organization and the British Medical Association. Using feedback from those who use the packs, we do periodic reviews. Contact [email protected] for a current contents list.
What is an Essential Health Pack? Expand Our Essential Health Packs provide high-quality medicines. These equip work in places where people lack access to healthcare, and where supplies of medicines may be intermittent, stock may run out, and false, counterfeit, or sub-standard medicines may be common. An Essential Health Pack (EHP) comprises two boxes that are filled with a range of essential medicines to support critical primary health care delivery in any setting. Being portable, a pack can be transported to wherever it’s needed, acting as a mobile pharmacy. Each pack contains a minimum of 800 courses of treatment, including a broad assortment of over-the-counter and prescription medicines such as antibiotics, analgesics, anti-inflammatories, anti-fungal and antiparasitics.
What’s in the pack? Expand We have designed our packs using guidance from the British Medical Association, the World Health Organization, and individual doctors working abroad. A pack comprises two boxes, each weighs around 10kg, filled with primary healthcare medicines. Most products are for acute conditions. All medicines have more than 16 months dating when packed, and are of the highest quality. All are donated directly by the pharmaceutical manufacturer.
Where do medicines in the packs come from? Expand They’re donated by pharmaceutical manufacturers. As medicines never leave the supply chain or a regulated environment, we can guarantee they’ll be reliable and trustworthy. All medicines remain in their original non-glass/non-delicate packaging and contain patient information leaflets (PIL), which provide information on safe usage. We are a licenced wholesaler, regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Who can take out an Essential Health Pack? Expand Anyone. You don’t have to be a qualified doctor or medical professional, although we do undertake a rigorous application process to ensure that we handle all donated medical products in a secure and professional manner. You will need to get a practising doctor to endorse your application form if you are non-medical or a medical student.
Will I have to pay for a pack? Expand We request a contribution of £475 per Essential Health Pack. This is a fraction of the cost of the value of the medicines. It helps enable IHP to cover some of the costs associated with sourcing, assembling, coordinating and storing donations for the kits.