What emergency supplies and equipment should a Primary Health Centre (PHC) have to manage common emergencies?

Essential Emergency Supplies and Equipment for Primary Health Centre

Your PHC must be equipped with basic resuscitation equipment, essential monitoring devices, critical medications for stabilization, and airway management supplies to handle the life-threatening emergencies you've listed—prioritizing equipment that functions without high-pressure medical gas and can be operated by available staff. 1

Core Medical Equipment

Airway and Breathing Management

• Ambu bags (manual resuscitators) for immediate ventilatory support when mechanical ventilation is unavailable 1
• Oxygen delivery systems: nasal prongs, oxygen masks, oxygen tubing and regulators that function with low-flow oxygen 1
• Suction machines with suction catheters (Yankauer suction, regular suction catheters) and suction tubing 1
• Oral airways and endotracheal tubes for airway management 1
• Nebulizers for bronchodilator administration in respiratory distress 1

Monitoring Equipment

• Pulse oximeters to assess oxygenation status in cyanotic children and respiratory distress 1
• Blood pressure monitoring: noninvasive blood pressure cuffs in multiple sizes (small, standard, large adult) 1
• Thermometers for fever assessment 1
• Heart rate and ECG monitoring if available for chest pain evaluation 1

Vascular Access and Fluid Management

• Peripheral IV catheters in multiple sizes for pediatric and adult patients 1
• IV crystalloid solutions: minimum 200L stock for resuscitation of burns, RTA, PPH, and poisoning cases 1
• IV pumps for controlled medication and fluid administration 1
• Central venous catheters (multilumen) for critically ill patients requiring vasopressors 1

Essential Pharmaceuticals

Emergency Medications

• Antibiotics (broad-spectrum) for infections and post-bite prophylaxis 1
• Vasopressors for shock management in unstable patients 1
• Bronchodilators for respiratory distress and asthma exacerbations 1
• Anticonvulsants:
  • Lorazepam 4mg IV (given slowly at 2mg/min) as first-line for seizures in adults; may repeat once after 10-15 minutes if seizures continue 2
  • Diazepam IV as alternative, given slowly over 3 minutes at maximum 0.25mg/kg in pediatrics 3
• Analgesics for pain management in trauma, burns, and abdominal pain 1
• Fluids for resuscitation including crystalloids 1
• Atropine for organophosphate poisoning 1
• Antivenom (snake and scorpion) specific to your regional species 1
• Activated charcoal for tablet poisoning 1

Supportive Medications

• Sedatives for agitated or combative patients 1
• Steroids for severe allergic reactions and respiratory distress 1
• Gastrointestinal hemorrhage prophylaxis medications 1

Critical Supplies and Consumables

Personal Protective Equipment

• Gloves: sterile and non-sterile in adequate quantities 1
• Gowns: sterile and nonsterile 1
• Full face shields and goggles for splash protection during resuscitation 1
• Surgical masks for routine procedures 1

Procedural Supplies

• Nasogastric/orogastric tubes for gastric decompression in poisoning and abdominal emergencies 1
• Urinary catheters with collection bags for monitoring output in critically ill patients 1
• Syringes in multiple sizes for medication administration 1
• Dressings and bandages for wound management in cut injuries and burns 1
• IV administration sets, flush solutions, and dressings 1

Specialized Equipment

• Burn management supplies: sterile dressings, fluid resuscitation equipment 1
• Obstetric emergency kit: for PPH management including uterotonic medications 1

Organizational Considerations

Equipment Storage and Accessibility

• Keep all resuscitation equipment together in one designated location—only 30% of primary care facilities do this, creating dangerous delays 4
• Maintain algorithms for basic life support and common emergencies at the point of care—only 26% of practices currently have these 4

Training Requirements

• All staff must receive training in basic life support and pediatric resuscitation—less than 20% of general practitioners have received this training in the past 5 years 4
• Regular mock codes and drills improve equipment familiarity and response times 1
• Advanced life support training for physicians improves outcomes and equipment utilization 1

Critical Pitfalls to Avoid

Equipment without high-pressure gas dependency: Select ventilators and oxygen delivery systems that function with low-flow oxygen, as high-pressure medical gas supply may fail during mass casualty events or in resource-limited settings 1

Inadequate pediatric sizing: Stock equipment in multiple sizes—pediatric emergencies (seizures, respiratory distress, cyanosis) require appropriately sized airways, IV catheters, and blood pressure cuffs 1

Medication expiration management: Establish protocols for medication shelf-life extension and substitution rules before emergencies occur 1

Lack of standardization: The absence of standardized equipment lists across PHCs creates dangerous variability—no surveyed practice had all 21 basic resuscitation items, with 59% having ≤10 items 4

Delayed resuscitation readiness: For seizures, equipment and medications must be immediately accessible—lorazepam requires 2mg/min administration rate, and delays worsen neurological outcomes 2. For respiratory emergencies, suction and airway equipment must be at bedside before intervention 1, 3