MEDICAL BRIGADE
Many of the things we take for granted, such as over the counter medications, vitamins and prescription drugs are out of the financial reach of many of the people living in the villages and communities visited by Borderless Brigade. Grateful mothers with children in tow walk hours and wait in long lines to receive, free of charge, the help offered by our medical team.
The doctors and nurses that make up Borderless Brigade’s Medical Brigade work alongside indigenous national health care professionals to provide basic medical examinations and prescribe medicines to treat many common medical conditions. Often when such common medical problems are left untreated the adverse result is quality of life issues.
Sometimes a person is presented to our Medical Brigade with a medical condition that requires more treatment options than can be provided in our temporary medical clinic. These conditions include birth defects such as cleft palate, clubfoot, or umbilical hernias. There are also injuries that need corrective surgeries such as broken bones that have not healed properly, hernias and chemical burns due to exposure to pesticides and herbicides used in their agricultural employment. Borderless Brigade participates with private hospitals and national health facilities in those developing countries to arrange for surgeries or extended medical treatments to meet many of those needs at no cost to the patient.
Our Medical Brigade needs your help in order to continue meeting the medical needs of the individuals living in the impoverished communities we visit. Please look at our list of needs for ways you can partner with us in this effort.
MEDICAL BRIGADE NEEDS
A typical international trip for our Medical Brigade is made up of about nine medical personnel. The average total budget for each international Medical Brigade is $10,100. This amount does not include international travel expense, we ask each of our participants to pay their own travel cost. This budget consists of the following expenses:
$2,000 for medical supplies
$750 for translators
$7,000 for in-country expenses (transportation, meals, lodging & security)
$350 to pay a doctor licensed to practice in the country of our visit
You can help by donating supplies from our list or by donating funds to help offset this budget.
Detailed List
Band aids (all sizes)
Roll gauze (multiple widths) - sterile and non-sterile
2x 2 gauze (non-sterile)
4 x 4 gauze (sterile and non-sterile)
Telfa pads
Tape (plastic, paper and cloth- 1/2 and 1 inch widths)
Coban wrap
Ace wraps (3, 4 and 6 inch sizes)
Kling gauze
Betadine surgical scrub
Disposable scapels (11 and 15 blades)
Disposable laceration trays and suture removal trays
Gloves (all sizes of nitrile free gloves and sterile gloves (sizes 6,7 and 8)
Cidex (glutaraldehyde)
Triple antibiotic cream/ointment
TED hose
Silvadene cream
Bactroban cream/ointment
Saline irrigation
Lidocaine with and without epinephrine 1% and 2%
Saline injectable
Depo Medrol and Dexamethasone injectable
Rocephin 500 mg and 1 gram
Oral dosing syringes
5 cc syringes
10 cc syringes
Iodoform gauze packing
Sanitizing wipes (Clorox wipes)
Hand sanitizer
DENTAL BRIGADE
As you might imagine dental care in poverty stricken developing nations is inadequate at best. Without fluorinated water systems and available regular dental hygiene products many people suffer constant pain and discomfort from tooth decay. Borderless Brigade’s Dental Brigade works with national dental professionals in temporary clinics set up in the villages and communities most affected in an effort to ease some of this pain and suffering.
Unfortunately, often the only recourse is the extraction of severely decayed teeth. Often because of malnutrition, children develop dental problems very early in life and without early dental intervention will have dental problems the rest of their lives. Our dedicated dental teams also collect toothbrushes and toothpaste to distribute in the villages they visit.
There are times when a patient of our dental clinic needs more care than we are able to supply in our temporary dental clinics. Borderless Brigade participates with private and national health facilities in those developing countries to arrange for oral surgeries or extended dental treatments to meet many of those needs at no cost to the patient.
Our Dental Brigade needs your help in order to continue meeting the dental needs of the individuals living in the impoverished communities we visit. Please look at our list of needs for ways you can partner with us in this effort.
DENTAL BRIGADE NEEDS
A typical international trip for our Dental Brigade is made up of about five dental personnel. The average total budget for each international Dental Brigade is $6,250. This amount does not include international travel expense, we ask each of our participants to pay their own travel cost. This budget consists of the following expenses:
$1,500 for dental supplies (click here for detailed list)
$150 for translators
$3,900 for in-country expenses (transportation, meals, lodging & security)
$700 to pay dentist licensed to practice in the country of our visit
You can help by donating supplies from our list or by donating funds to help offset this budget.
Detailed List
10 Lidocaine 2%
50 Cart of 2% Xylocaine
1 Cindex Plus
3 Flashlights with batteries
113 Floss
1 GermX
1 Gloves (EXTRA SMALL)
7 Gloves (LARGE)
5 Gloves (MEDIUM)
2 Gloves (SMALL)
1 Gloves Vinyl (MEDIUM)
1 Polocaine 3%
2 Santi-Cloths
2 Scrub Brushes
1 Sharps container
1 Sleeve of gauze 200CT 2X2
14 Sleeve of gauze 200CT
2000 Toothbrushes (Adult)
1600 Toothbrushes (Youth)
2 Topical
4 Gloves (Pair Utility)
PHARMACY BRIGADE
Borderless Brigade sends a fully staffed and equipped pharmacy team with the Medical Brigade to fill prescriptions ordered by the Medical Brigade. This team collects or purchases medications for treatment of most medical conditions encountered. It’s not uncommon for this pharmacy team to fill 15,000 to 20,000 prescriptions during a Brigade’s visit to an impoverished community.
The medications issued consist of everything from over the counter medications such as analgesics, vitamins, antihistamines and topical creams to prescription medications for heart disease, blood pressure problems, diabetes, infections, parasites, gastro intestinal problems and respiratory issues. The typical Pharmacy Brigade issues medication from an inventory consisting of 70 different medications and various dosage sizes. The cost of over the counter and prescription medications continues to increase to the point that even purchasing these medications in bulk is expensive. The average cost of each prescription filled by Borderless has risen to about $0.90.
Our Pharmacy Brigade is the most expensive effort Borderless Brigade undertakes. We need your support and donations to enable us to continue our efforts to improve the health of the people living in impoverished communities. Please look at our list of needs for ways you can partner with us in this effort.
PHARMACY BRIGADE NEEDS
A typical international trip for our Pharmacy Brigade is made up of about nine pharmacy personnel. The average total budget for each international Pharmacy Brigade is $25,150. This amount does not include international travel expense, we ask each of our participants to pay their own travel cost. This budget consists of the following expenses:
$18,000 for medicines to distribute as prescribed by or Medical Brigade
$7,000 for in-country expenses (transportation, meals, lodging & security)
$150 for translators
Because the purchase of the medicines must be in bulk and because of customs restrictions for shipping internationally, you can best help by donating funds to help offset this budget.
OPTICAL BRIGADE
Borderless Brigades also seeks to help people with vision problems. In many villages there is little or no opportunity for eye care. The Optical Brigade seeks to meet this need by providing free eye exams and eyeglasses.
Our Optical Brigade cooperates with other non-profit organizations which provide the equipment and an inventory of refurbished used prescription eyeglasses. The patient’s eyes are tested with an auto refractor to determine the prescription needed and then a computer finds the best match from a large inventory of donated and refurbished used prescription eyeglasses. The smile on the faces of patients whose eyesight has been made clear is priceless.
We also purchase and distribute reading glasses and sunglasses for those who need them. Both the readers and sunglasses add another dimension of care as we minister to the people of these poverty-stricken communities.
Sometimes a person is presented to our Optical Brigade with conditions such as cataracts, strabismus or glaucoma that requires more treatment options than can be provided in our temporary clinic. Borderless Brigade participates with private and national health facilities in those developing countries to arrange for surgeries or extended medical treatments to meet many of those needs at no cost to the patient.
Our Optical Brigade needs your help in order to continue meeting the vision needs of the individuals living in the impoverished communities we visit. Please look at our list of needs for ways you can partner with us in this effort.
OPTICAL BRIGADE NEEDS
A typical international trip for our Optical Brigade is made up of about four optical personnel. The average total budget for each international Optical Brigade is $5,250. This amount does not include international travel expense, we ask each of our participants to pay their own travel cost. This budget consists of the following expenses:
$850 for reading glasses and sun glasses
$500 for rental of Auto Refractor
$3,100 for in-country expenses (transportation, meals, lodging & security)
$150 for translators
Optical Brigade Needs
Detailed List
250 Pair slip-in myds (drop behind dark sunglasses for use after dilating eyes)
1000 Plastic wrist bands
600 Pair reading glasses (various strengths)
600 Pair adult sunglasses
600 Pair children sunglasses
VETERINARY BRIGADE
With the understanding that Borderless Brigade’s primary focus is on improving the health and well-being of individuals in impoverished communities, we see the necessity of providing for the care of their livestock and pets. Dependence of the families on their livestock is high in these communities and often, aside from the land they may own, is the only thing with real world value. Their cattle and pigs provide them with milk and meat and their horses and burros provide both personal transportation and a way to plow their fields and transport their goods. Their pets, mainly dogs, provide them with security and companionship.
Proper vaccination and parasite control is expensive and out of the financial reach of most of these families, yet is important to prevent disease from spreading through their herd or to their neighbor’s. Borderless’ Veterinary Brigade travels to barnyards throughout the area or sets up corrals in central locations to treat livestock.
Our Veterinary Brigade needs your help in order to continue improving the health of these animals, and thus the health of the families living in the impoverished communities we visit. Please look at our list of needs for ways you can partner with us in this effort.
NUTRITION BRIGADE NEEDS
A typical international trip for our Veterinary Brigade is made up of about five veterinary personnel. The average total budget for each international Veterinary Brigade is $5,550. This amount does not include international travel expense, we ask each of our participants to pay their own travel cost. This budget consists of the following expenses:
$1,500 for vaccines and supplies
$3,900 for in-country expenses (transportation, meals, lodging & security)
$150 for translators
Because most of the countries Borderless Brigade visits place restrictions and custom regulations on the import of the veterinary medicines used by our Veterinary Brigade, the medicines and vaccines they used are best purchased within those counties. You can best help by donating funds to help offset this budget.
NUTRITION BRIGADE
Borderless Brigade organizes and sends a small brigade of individuals specifically charged with gathering and distributing nutritional items to each family which visits our medical or dental clinics. We purchase rice and beans in bulk and collect and ship ahead other non-perishable items such as peanut butter, pasta, adult supplement drinks and infant formula.
The Nutritional Brigade relies on the generosity of individuals and corporations for the donations of much of these items whether it is the donation of the food item or the donation of the money to purchase these items. Please look at our list of needs for ways you can partner with us in this effort.
NUTRITION BRIGADE NEEDS
A typical international trip for our Nutritional Brigade is made up of about two people. The average total budget for each international Nutritional Brigade is $6,125. This amount does not include international travel expense, we ask each of our participants to pay their own travel cost. This budget consists of the following expenses:
$4,500 to purchase rice and beans
$1,550 for in-country expenses (transportation, meals, lodging & security)
$75 for translator
You can help by donating supplies from our list or by donating funds to help offset this budget.
Detailed List
Powdered Milk
Powder baby formula (Similac-Go and Grow or Enfamil Infant)
Peanut Butter
Pasta noodles (spaghetti, elbow macaroni, mac and cheese)
Nutritional Drinks (Ensure, Boost or Carnation Breakfast Essentials drink mix)
CLOTHING BRIGADE
One of the ways to ease the burden of individuals and families living in impoverished communities is to provide them with clothing and shoes. When we send brigades into a community we also provide a distribution of clothing and shoes. By doing this we help relieve some of the financial burdens on these families.
This is accomplished by gathering new or slightly worn clothes and shoes. We have found people to be generous in this area but often we don’t have enough, especially shoes. It’s not unusual to see a brigade member in the airport returning home wearing flip-flops because they gave their shoes away before leaving the village.
Gathering donated clothes and shoes is not expensive but the cost of packing and shipping clothes internationally often prevents us from sending as many as we would like. We need your help to continue providing this much needed relief. Please look at our list of needs for ways you can partner with us in this effort.
CLOTHING BRIGADE NEEDS
A typical international trip for our Clothes Brigade is made up of about four people. The average total budget for each international Clothes Brigade is $5,250. This amount does not include international travel expense, we ask each of our participants to pay their own travel cost. This budget consists of the following expenses:
$2000 for packaging supplies and shipping cost
$3,100 for in-country expenses (transportation, meals, lodging & security)
$150 for translators
You can best help by donating funds to help offset this budget.
SUPPORT BRIGADE
Not everyone that participates in a Borderless Brigade project is a professional, yet everyone that participates is professional in their participation. Our Support Brigade provides the services needed to allow the professional brigades to work efficiently. These individuals work as a team to prepare and serve meals, provide a fresh supply of clean drinking water, and manage the logistical support such as transportation, shipping, clinic set-up and security.
It was Napoleon that said, “An army marches on its stomach.” This is applicable when it comes to meeting the needs of our North Americans traveling and working in a third world country.
We could use your help in offsetting the cost of providing this support for our professional brigades. Please look at our list of needs for ways you can partner with us in this effort.
SUPPORT BRIGADE NEEDS
A typical international trip for our Support Brigade is made up of about seven people. The average total budget for each international Support Brigade is $9,950. This amount does not include international travel expense, we ask each of our participants to pay their own travel cost. This budget consists of the following expenses:
$4,500 for team food and supplies
$5,450 for in-country expenses (transportation, meals, lodging & security)
You can help by donating supplies from our list or by donating funds to help offset this budget.
Detailed List
Paper Products
- 8oz Styrofoam cups (750)
- 16oz Styrofoam cups (1500)
- Styrofoam bowls (500)
- Styrofoam divided dinner plates (1500)
- Paper napkins (1500)
- Plastic knives, forks, spoons (1500)
- Paper towels (24 rolls)
- Large carry-out boxes (250)
- Toilet paper (72 rolls)
- Multi-fold paper towels (4/4000ct)
- Trash bags (100-55gal & 150 kitchen size)
- T-shirt bags (8-1000ct)
- Heavy duty aluminum foil (2-500ft rolls)
Plastic wrap (2-18” rolls)
Snack food
350 individual serving packages potato chips, BBQ chips, bugles, Doritos, Fritos, etc.
600 individual serving size cookies, nutrition bars, peanuts, trail mix, rice Krispy treats, payday candy bars, etc.
Breakfast food
- Frosted Flakes (3-61.9oz boxes)
- Fruit Loops (3-43.6oz boxes)
- Honey Nut Cheerios (6-27.5oz boxes)
- Raisin Bran (3-76.5oz boxes)
- Kellogg’s variety pack (3-30 pack boxes)
- Pancake mix (3-10 lb. boxes)
- Pancake syrup (6-64oz bottles)
- Pop tarts (3-36 ct. brown sugar, 3-36 ct. strawberry)
- Protein shakes (3-12 pk. Chocolate, 3-12 pk. Vanilla)
- Jelly (600 single serving assorted flavor packets)
Drinks
- Country Time lemonade drink mix (4-5LB 2.5oz cans)
- Crystal Light lemonade drink mix (16-2qt bottles)
Gatorade (4-76.5oz cans)
Tea (4-48ct family size bags)
Canned goods
- Baked beans (4 #10 cans)
- Green beans (5 #10 cans)
- Chili beans (2 #10 cans)
- Whole cornel corn (4 #10 cans)
- Crushed tomatoes (1 #10 cans)
- Diced tomatoes (1 #10 cans)
- Nacho cheese sauce (2 #10 cans)
- Canned chicken (18 50oz cans)
Other supplies
- Dish pans (8)
- Dish towels (12)
- Dish detergent (3 24oz bottles)
- Clorox wipes (2-4pk)
- Hand sanitizer (2- 2lt bottles)
Flashlights w/batteries (10)
9v batteries (12)
AAA batteries (48)
AA batteries (72)
C cell batteries (48)
D cell batteries (96)
Plastic Tarps 12’ x 16’ (2)
Cable ties 14” (100)
Extension cords
- 12ga x 100’lg
- 6-16ga x 50’lg
- 12- light duty 15’lg
Light bulbs (24-60w)