Union Health Minister and Minister of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated a 10-bed portable hospital designed by CSIR-Central Building Research Institute (CSIR-CBRI), Roorkee.

A joint venture of CSIR-CBRI and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the hospital infrastructure can be transported during any natural calamity to the place where it would be required. It has been designed in such a way that it can be easily dismantled and reassembled at short notice. All the medical equipment has been designed and sponsored by CBRI while the NDRF has arranged the beds and testing machines.

The hospital will provide an OPD facility besides equipment for blood pressure, ECG and defibrillator machines. Oxygen pipelines have also been fitted to every bed. In view of COVID-19, an isolation ward along with quarantine facilities has also been earmarked with hand washing and sensor-based sanitiser points. To maintain the temperature, thermal insulators have been used in the waterproof structure to ensure it can be fitted at any place and in any weather.

Mr S.N. Pradhan, Director General of NDRF and CSIR DG Dr Shekhar C. Mande were present at the inauguration.