I am going on a mission trip to Zambia where there is no refrigeration, and I can not go unless I find something to keep my insulin safe. Do you have any suggestions? Also, what is your advice in a good durable meter?

In tropical countries, the traditional way of providing water for drinking is with an evaporation cooler. This simple device is an unglazed earthenware container from which there is slow evaporation from the outer surface. The energy involved in this process takes heat from the water inside. Throughout India and much of East Africa, this is known as a ‘chatti’ pot. You could write to the mission and find out if they are familiar with this arrangement and if they were, you could arrange to store insulin safely inside the cooled water in plastic bag.

As to a ‘durable’ meter I think I would advise that you continue to use your present one if it is satisfactory but that you make sure of testing supplies for the duration of the visit and perhaps take a similar or updated meter with you as a stand-by.

You don’t tell us if you are going with her family or if the mission has an educational and medical component as well as an evangelical one. Such adventures are much more common in Britain where young people often spend a ‘gap’ year between high school and university on ventures like this. For this reason I wonder if you should contact the British Diabetes Association. They may even have specific information on Zambia.

DOB