GET INVOLVED
Carry a Humanitarian Medical Kit
Improve access to essential medicine and restore health with HPIC’s Humanitarian Medical Kits!
With medication and supplies donated by Canada's healthcare industry and packed with care by a team of dedicated volunteers, our HMKs provide an average of 600 treatments.
A practical and quick response to emergency health needs, our primary care kits are accompanied by all the necessary documentation so you can get set up quickly and efficiently in a community in need or during a crisis.
Our HMKs are often carried by Canadian volunteers going on medical mission trips. Many volunteers visit the same communities on a regular basis where they are investing in long-term change. The impact that these kits have on individuals and families is immediate.
HMKs AT A GLANCE
EACH HMK
Provides around
600 treatments
Has a Gift in Kind value
of approximately $6000
Weighs about
50lbs
If you are going on a medical mission and require specific medications or supplies, let us know in your application form and we will do our best to accommodate your needs in a Specialized Kit.
HMKs may include the following treatments (based on availability):
Analgesics
Antibiotics
Antiemetics
Antifungals
Antihistamines
Antihypertensives
Antimalarials
Antiparasitics
Antacids
Eye/ear drops
Ointments & topical creams
Oral rehydration
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Carrying an HMK
The kits are designed for doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers providing care in vulnerable communities. Volunteers, NGOs, humanitarian organizations, churches, and faith-based organizations can also take these kits with them.
The kits, often referred to as a ‘pharmacy in a box,’ are a valuable asset to have in missions as groups can be confident that they will have everything they need on the ground.
- Upon arrival, you will already have what you need
- You can distribute the medicines that you know and use in Canada
- HPIC is licensed by Health Canada and provides high-quality medicines that meet all dating requirements (WHO)
- Lack of essential medicines that meet all dating requirements, even when you can afford to buy them, is a real problem in many communities
HMK’s are ready to be hand-carried or airlifted. Each kit is composed of one or two boxes which together (as one piece of checked luggage) should meet major international airline travel requirements. The boxes have a combined weight of 18-22kg (40-50 lbs) and fit easily in a duffel or hockey bag. The dimensions of each box are 17” x 11” x 14”. Boxes also have handles for carrying convenience.
HPIC provides two documents with each Humanitarian Medical Kit: a certificate of donation and a detailed packing list including products, quantities, and expiry dates. It is the carrier’s responsibility to find out what other documents and steps are required to secure customs clearance. All applicants should seek to understand what the requirements are when bringing donations of medicines to their country of destination. This must take place before submitting an application and the results should be shared with HPIC upon submission of your application.
CONTENTS OF AN HMK
The Humanitarian Medical Kit for primary care may include an array of medicines from various pharmaceutical companies in a wide variety of medicine categories including:
- Analgesics
- Antibiotics
- Antiemetics
- Antifungals
- Antihistamines
- Antihypertensives
- Antimalarials
- Antiparasitics
- Antacids
- Eye/ear drops
- Ointments
- Oral rehydration
- Topical creams
Please note that we cannot guarantee that all of these items will be included. Contents are based on our inventory at the time of packing.
The primary care kits do not include:
- Medical supplies
- Narcotics
- Test kits
- Vaccines
- Medicines for communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, or leprosy
- Medicines for the treatment or prevention of sexually transmitted infections
- Condoms or supplies for regular contraception
- Injectable medicines requiring cold chain management
Going on a specialized medical mission trip? A Special Product Request (SPR) is a customized kit that is designed for specialists and surgeons going on medical mission trips. This helps teams address specific health needs in medically underserved communities.
Having the right medicines and supplies on hand, physicians are better able to provide specialized medical and surgical care where and when it is needed. Every year, life-changing surgeries, sophisticated cardiovascular, orthopedic and reconstructive procedures and many life-saving operations are made possible through these kits.
There is a section that allows you to specify any special requests in the application form.
APPLYING FOR AN HMK
At least six weeks before leaving Canada, you must submit an application and pass our screening process for a primary care kit. The minimum timeframe for Special Product Requests is eight weeks before your travel date. Once the application is approved and processed, you can either pick up the HMK at our Distribution Center in Oakville, Ontario or have it shipped to your address for a fee of $85. Please note that HPIC does not send kits to postal box addresses.
The kit(s) will be received two to three days prior to your departure date.
Each individual kit carrier can carry 1-2 kits with them. It is based on the needs on the ground, as it will vary from one medical mission to another. Each Humanitarian Medical Kit includes medicines that can provide up to 600 treatments and may consist of one or two boxes.
HPIC requires a contribution of a $700 tax-deductible donation for each Humanitarian Medical Kit. There is an additional charge of $85 if the Humanitarian Medical Kit is to be shipped to the applicant anywhere within Canada.
There is also a tax-deductible donation requested for Humanitarian Medical Kits for specialized care. Generally, the suggested donation is based on the number of items requested in the kit. The shipping cost for Humanitarian Medical Kits for specialized care is the responsibility of the applicant.
These contributions cover a portion of HPIC’s operations costs, which include sourcing medicines, maintaining an inventory and tracking system, as well as storing and packing donated medicines.
