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Home  Publications  Working Abroad  Contents  Previous Article (5.2 What about Malaria?)  Next Article (5.4 Other personal health and safety matters) 5.3 What about HIV/AIDS? Safe practice and safe behaviour are the key to avoidance. Assume all patients could be HIV positive and act accordingly. Make sure you know the universal precautions to take if injury/contamination occurs As far as is possible, take such precautions, if such incidents occur. Assume that all blood and body fluids are potentially infective and take necessary precautions Wear gloves and wash your hands after patient contact. Take a personal supply of surgical gloves with you so that you can double glove. Take a visor or spare pair of glasses to protect your eyes. Beware of contaminating any open cuts you might have. Take every care to avoid needle stick injuries – especially when tired or with unfamiliar assistants Refuse blood transfusion - unless a dire emergency and you know the donor is HIV free. Take a course of in date anti-retrovirals with you and make sure you know how to use them Don't be paranoid but do take every precaution Post exposure prophylaxis for occupational exposure to HIV Follow normal UK protocols, as far as possible. Establish the status of the source patient, if at all possible. Start taking ARVs within 2 hours of any high risk injury, if possible, and continue for 28 days. Seek UK advice as to whether you should return home sooner rather than later  Contents  Previous Article (5.2 What about Malaria?)  Next Article (5.4 Other personal health and safety matters) Acknowledgements My thanks to Chris Lavy, Eldryd Parry, Ian Spillman and Nick Wooding, all of whom have worked overseas and have a continuing involvement, for their helpful comments and advice. First edition 1994 - Entitled ‘A Medical Missions Handbook’ by Peter Saunders. Second Edition 1998 (updated April 2000) Third Edition September 2003 - by Peter Armon Fourth Edition 2007 – renamed ‘Working Abroad’ - totally revised & rewritten by Peter Armon All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the CMF. Christian Medical Fellowship 6 Marshalsea Road London SE1 1HL Tel. 020 7234 9660 Fax 020 7234 9661 Websites:www.cmf.org.uk and www.healthserve.org Christian Medical Fellowship is a registered charity No. 1039823 DISCLAIMER While seeking to be accurate in all the details contained in this document, CMF cannot be held responsible for the information contained in this booklet. The reader should double check the information for him/herself Any questions or comments on website content? E-mail us: healthserve@cmf.org.uk Cure the sick who are there, say to them "The Kingdom of God has come near to you." Luke 10: 9 ©2004 - Christian Medical Fellowship. CMF is a registered charity, number 1039823 CMF is a Member of Global Connections