At this time next week, the SOMOS/DASV medical service team will be in Santo Domingo preparing for the first day of clinic.  This includes clinical training for those members of the team who have not had much experience yet, as well as counting and bagging pills for easy distribution in the pharmacy.

To give a better idea of what supplies and medicines we use, this is the inventory we will use for the week-long project (during which time we expect to see around 300 patients):

  • Acetaminophen (children’s): 25 bottles
  • Acetaminophen 500 mg: 3,700 pills
  • Albendazole (parasite medicine) 400 mg: 810 pills
  • Albendazole 400 mg suspension: 80 bottles
  • Azithromycin (antibiotic) powder/suspension: 10 bottles
  • Azithromycin 500 mg: 60 pills
  • Aspirin 81 mg: 2,000 pills
  • Ciprofloxacin (antibiotic) 500 mg: 100 pills
  • Clotrimazole 2% amti-fungal cream: 50 tubes
  • Diclofenac 50 mg: 2,100 pills
  • Fluconazole 150 mg (fungal antibiotic): 60 pills
  • Glibencamida 5 mg (for diabetes): 1,400 pills
  • Ibuprofen (children’s): 25 bottles
  • Ketoconazole 200 mg (fungal antibiotic): 100 pills
  • Loratadine 10 mg (antihistamine, for allergies and “gripe”): 1,500 pills
  • Metronidazole 500 mg (antibiotic): 400 pills
  • Omeprazole 20 mg (for stomach acid): 2,000 capsules
  • Ferrous sulfate 300 mg (for iron): 1,500 tablets
  • Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (antibiotic) suspension: 25 bottles
  • Amlodipine 10 mg (blood pressure): 2,000 pills
  • Amlodipine 5 mg: 2,000 pills
  • Atenolol 100mg (blood pressure): 2,000 pills
  • Atenolol 50 mg: 2,000 pills
  • Hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg (blood pressure): 4,000 pills
  • Lisinopril 20 mg (blood pressure): 5,000 pills
  • Losartan 50 mg (blood pressure): 1,000 pills
  • Ceftin 250mg/5 mL (antibiotic suspension): 20 bottles
  • Prednisone 10 mg: 1,000 pills
  • Amoxicillin 250 mg (antibiotic): 500 capsules
  • Amoxicillin oral suspension 125 mg/5 mL: 20 bottles
  • Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole DS (antibiotic): 200 pills
  • Adult multivitamins with iron: 5,000 pills
  • Children’s multivitamins (no iron): 5,000 pills
  • Prenatal vitamins: 2,000 pills
  • Oral re-hydration salts: 125 packets
  • 200 individual fluoride treatments (for pediatric dental prophylaxis)

Figuring out these numbers is always difficult.  It is hard to know how many patients will actually be seen, and what medicines will be needed.  However, we are getting better at predicting these things and any unused medicines stay with Fundacion Sol Naciente to provide further care in their non-profit medical center in Santo Domingo.  The numbers of medications have increased over time as we continue transitioning to providing longer-term care: we must carry more medications for chronic illnesses (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, etc) and we plan to provide 3 months of medicine for each patient’s chronic conditions.

These supplies will cost (in total) approximately $1,900.00.  This would average out to about $6.33 per patient who receives care.

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