6,500 Prescriptions In Five Days – Amazing!

Since their return, the pharmacy team has been busy analyzing the Guatemala trip to determine what worked and what can be improved upon for future trips. The pharmacy, which traveled daily to the various sites packed neatly in plastic bins, played a vital role in the treatment of 4000 people in only 5 days. Doctors and dentists wrote prescriptions and sent patients to the very long “Farmacia” where three Canadian team members worked efficiently with their Guatemalan colleagues, to send people home with the medications listed below.




Acetaminophen (adult and kid's chewable) – 13,000 Tablets
Ibuprofen - 7,000 Tablets
Albendazole (parasite medicine) – 2,000 Tablets
Antibiotics (adult) – 3,000 Tablets
Antibiotics (children) – 400 Bottles
ASA Blood Thinner/Circulation – 2000 Tablets
Cough Medicine – 400 Bottles
Stomach Medicine – 8,000 Tablets & 180 Bottles of Maalox
Allergy Medication – 2,000 Tablets & 75 Bottles
Sulfa Antibiotic Eye Drops – 75 Bottles
Diabetic Medications – 3,000 Tablets
Adult Vitamins – 30,000 Doses
Children's Vitamins – 30,000 Doses










Pharmacist Chris Ritskes says, “Now that we’re home, it's a bit overwhelming to look back on the number of people that we were able to treat and to realize that we filled more than 6500 prescriptions with detailed explanations for their use. The impact that we were able to have in such a short period of time is amazing and it’s what motivates me to continue to find ways to streamline our pharmacy processes for the next trip.”


During their stay, Canadian team members learned enough Spanish words to communicate basic instructions to the patients. For the next trip, the pharmacy team will work with their Guatemalan counterparts to develop detailed Spanish instructions for the most prescribed medications.



THANK YOU PHARMACY TEAM!
Doctors, dentists, and support staff all send a big thank you to the exceptional pharmacy team who worked together so efficiently to make this trip a success for the people of Guatemala.