Why every home needs a kit
Minor cuts, burns, sprains, insect bites, fever and upset stomachs happen in every family. Having basic supplies ready in one place means you can act quickly, avoid infection and stay calm. A kit is especially useful in homes with young children or elderly members, during travel, and in the monsoon when getting to a clinic may be difficult. It does not replace medical care, but it helps you manage the first few minutes safely.
Dressings and wound care
Most home injuries are small cuts, scrapes and blisters. Clean wounds with clean running water, apply gentle pressure to stop bleeding, and cover with a clean dressing. Change the dressing if it becomes wet or dirty, and watch for signs of infection over the next few days. Keep these items in your kit.
- Adhesive bandages in different sizes
- Sterile gauze pads and a roll of gauze
- Adhesive medical tape
- Crepe (elastic) bandage for sprains
- Antiseptic solution or wipes
- Cotton wool and cotton buds
- Disposable gloves
Basic tools
A few simple tools make first aid easier and cleaner. A digital thermometer is safer and easier to read than old mercury thermometers. Blunt-tipped scissors cut tape and dressings, while tweezers help remove small splinters and thorns. A small torch helps you look into the throat or at a wound, and a few safety pins hold bandages in place. Keep an instant cold pack or a clean cloth that can wrap ice for sprains and bruises.
- Digital thermometer
- Scissors and tweezers
- Small torch
- Safety pins
- Cold pack
- Measuring cup or oral syringe for liquid medicines
Basic over-the-counter medicines
Keep only a small number of common over-the-counter medicines, and always follow the label or your pharmacist's advice. Keep separate child-appropriate forms if you have children, and check with a pharmacist if anyone is pregnant, elderly, or has kidney, liver, heart or stomach problems.
Do not keep antibiotics, steroids or sleeping pills in the kit for self-use. These should be taken only on a doctor's prescription for a specific illness. Leftover prescription medicines from past illnesses should not be stored in the kit either; dispose of them safely so that no one uses them by mistake.
- Paracetamol for fever and pain
- Oral rehydration salts (ORS) for loose motions and dehydration
- An antacid for occasional acidity
- An antiseptic cream for minor cuts
- Calamine lotion for itching and insect bites
- An antihistamine for mild allergies, as advised by your pharmacist
Important personal items
Add a list of every family member's long-term medicines, allergies, blood group and medical conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, epilepsy or heart disease. People with asthma should keep a spare reliever inhaler, and people with severe allergies should keep any emergency medicine their doctor has prescribed. People with diabetes may keep glucose tablets or sugar sachets for low blood sugar. Also add a copy of important prescriptions.
Emergency numbers
Write key numbers on a card inside the lid and save them on everyone's phone. In India, 112 is the national emergency number and 108 is the ambulance service in many states, including Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Add the number of your family doctor, the nearest hospital with an emergency department, and a trusted neighbour or relative. Make sure older children know where the kit and the numbers are kept.
Know the basics of what to do while waiting for help: keep the person still if a neck or back injury is possible, turn an unconscious person who is breathing onto their side, and do not give food or drink to someone who is very drowsy. Stay with them and keep calm.
Keeping the kit ready
Store the kit in a cool, dry, easy-to-reach place for adults but out of children's reach. Check it every few months: replace used items, throw away expired medicines safely, and make sure the thermometer works. Keep a smaller kit in your vehicle or travel bag.
A basic first aid course, including CPR, can build your confidence and may help you save a life. Many hospitals and voluntary organisations offer short courses. For any injury or illness that is serious, getting worse or not improving, consult a doctor or pharmacist without delay.
Medicines doctors commonly use
Only your doctor can decide which medicine, dose and combination is right for you.
- Paracetamol (fever and pain reliever)Relieves fever, headache and body pain.Follow the label or your pharmacist's advice; avoid doubling with combination cold products.
- Oral rehydration salts (ORS)Replaces fluid and salts lost in diarrhoea and vomiting.Prepare exactly as the packet says with clean water.
- Antiseptic solution or creamHelps keep minor cuts and scrapes clean.Not for deep wounds, burns or animal bites, which need a doctor.
- Calamine lotionSoothes itching from insect bites, prickly heat and mild rashes.See a doctor if a rash spreads or comes with fever.
See a doctor urgently if
- Bleeding that does not stop after pressing firmly for several minutes
- Burns that are large, deep, or on the face, hands, genitals or joints
- Any dog, cat, monkey or snake bite
- Head injury with vomiting, drowsiness or confusion
- Chest pain, breathing difficulty, fits or loss of consciousness
- Signs of infection in a wound: spreading redness, swelling, pus or fever
This article is general health information, not medical advice. Do not start, stop or combine medicines on your own — always follow your doctor's prescription and ask your pharmacist if unsure.