The actually useful travel medical kit what to bring versus what to buy there

GP with a traveller heavy practice so the right sized kit not the field hospital The key principle first Sri Lankan pharmacies are excellent widespread and cheap and the pharmacists are knowledgeable and English speaking so you do NOT need to bring a stockpile most things you can buy here for a fraction of home prices over the counter Genuinely worth bringing from home any PRESCRIPTION medicine you personally take in original packaging with a copy of the prescription (the controlled substance rules from the medicine threads apply for stimulants and strong painkillers carry the doctor letter) a small supply of any specific thing your body needs that might be hard to match and your preferred motion sickness tablets for the boats and buses What to buy there cheaply and skip packing paracetamol oral rehydration salts (the most useful thing for the chilli and heat adjustment) antihistamines antiseptic cream basic antidiarrhoeal picaridin repellent sunscreen they are all at every pharmacy The common traveller ailments to be ready for travellers stomach (rehydration salts and rest handle most a pharmacist will advise on more if needed) heat and dehydration (salts and water) sunburn (prevention plus aloe) insect bites and the dengue awareness from those threads minor cuts that need keeping clean in the humidity The first aid layer for hiking and scooter scrapes a few plasters a small roll of tape some antiseptic and gauze blister plasters for the hill walking and crucially for scooter scrapes keep any wound scrupulously clean and covered because the tropical humidity infects minor wounds fast a scrape that would heal ignored at home festers here see a doctor for anything beyond superficial The sensible minimum your prescriptions plus a tiny first aid pouch plus motion sickness tablets bring that buy the rest as needed and remember a real pharmacy is rarely far and a doctor consultation at a private clinic is quick and inexpensive if something exceeds self care