Coronavirus India: Ordnance Factory Kanpur’s cost-effective ‘medical tent’ to act as isolation ward

Pune: To combat the rapid rise of the coronavirus cases in India, companies are innovating at a rapid pace to minimise the spread. The central government, along with the state administrations, are acting brisk.

As the virus continues to spread around the country inundating healthcare systems, the government have already started building more facilities to deal with the rising number of infected individuals by turning railway coaches to isolation wards. 

In emergency situations, especially in remote areas and hilly terrains, there is lack of proper medical facilities. To deal with the coronavirus outbreak, Ordnance Factory Kanpur has made a cost-effective ‘medical tent’ which can be used as isolation ward.

According to Dr Uddipan Mukherjee, Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) Public Relations Officer and Joint Director, there are two patient beds and medical equipment inside the tent, which is waterproof. Mild steel and aluminium have been used to strengthen the tent. Ventilation is also taken care of.

“This medical tent can be used for a medical emergency, medical screening, hospital triage and quarantine purposes,” Mukherjee said.

At present, 100 such tents can be made daily, and on receipt of order, five factories of the OFB can make such tents in thousands. The way the number of patients is increasing, there may be a shortage of beds in hospitals. In such a situation, these tents can prove useful.

The Government of Arunachal Pradesh has already received 50 such medical tents. Other state governments are also interested in procuring these tents, the official said.

Meanwhile, over 5,700 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the country. Globally, the pandemic has killed over 85,000 people, and the count continues to increase. The active cases is rapidly reaching the 1.1 million mark.