BY: Stacey Chia

In Singapore, excellent medical care is only minutes away. Still, you should avoid getting caught off guard when an emergency strike by having a well-stocked first-aid kit within reach.

Every home should have one. It could even save you a trip to the doctor or Emergency Room.

Make sure your first-aid kit contains several basic items though. These include antibiotic ointment, saline solution for rinsing wounds, bandages and also over-the-counter medication such as Paracetamol, charcoal pills and antihistamines.

Apart from having a basic first-aid kit, Dr Leslie Tay of Karri Family Clinic said it should also be personalised to suit the needs of various members of the family.

For example, families with asthmatic members should include an extra salbutamol inhaler such as Ventolin.

Those with elderly family members who suffer from ischaemic heart problems - characterised by a reduction in blood supply to the heart muscle - might consider having a bottle of Glyceryl Trinitrate tablets in the kit. Those with the condition can develop chest pains and the tablets can help relieve the pain.

Although these items may already be present in the patient's own medicine box, Dr Tay said that having an extra set in the first-aid kit is ideal in case the patient's medication runs out or it cannot be found in an emergency.

Ms Esther Bek, drug information pharmacist at the Bukit Batok Polyclinic, said that families with young children should keep medication in syrup form as well as a syringe to ensure the correct dosage is given.

While many may have first-aid kits, Dr Tay fears that the supplies may not be replenished regularly. As a tip, Dr Tay suggested having two separate first-aid kits. One to be used in an emergency and another containing simple bandages for small cuts.

Apart from replenishing items, Ms Alice Chen, a pharmacist with the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore, said that expiry dates on medicines should be checked regularly and those that have passed their use-by date should be thrown out.

"Try not to store used medication such as cough syrups for more than six months after opening," she said. "And eye preparations must be discarded within a month after opening."

You might think that expiry dates are only important for medications, but she said that plasters and bandages should not be kept beyond their expiry date. Their quality and sterility will be affected.

Store the kit in a cool and dry place away from light and extreme heat because these elements enhance the rate of degradation of medicines.

On the other hand, Ms Chen added that while storing medicine in the refrigerator would reduce the chances of it being spoilt, condensation occurs when it is taken out and this may alter the drug concentration of medication.

You should consult a doctor before storing your medication in the refrigerator. But just having a first-aid kit isn't enough.

Mr Stephen De Souza, senior training instructor of the Singapore Red Cross Training Centre, said that there should ideally be at least one person in the family who is trained in first-aid.

"Accidents happen when you least expect it and being trained in first aid ensures that you are ready to provide help in the crucial moments after the accident," he said.

This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times on July 9, 2008.