GUWAHATI: A team at the Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati has designed bamboo beds and even wheel chairs to meet the requirements of
primary health centres in Assam's villages as they prepare to deal with the
Covid-19 pandemic.
The team at the institute's Department of Design said they set about it because there was an urgency in improving basic infrastructure facilities in primary healthcare centres using locally available materials and with participation from the local community.
Bamboo and cane, widely available in these parts of the country, are used in making handicrafts and furniture but have not been put to use in places like the primary health centres of rural areas.
The current crisis has shown the need for seeking sustainable solutions that are appropriate for meeting the needs of the community,” said Prof. Ravi Mokashi Punekar, Department of Design,
IIT Guwahati
The team believes the designs they have developed meet local infrastructure needs while creating job opportunities for local craftspersons. They are in touch with two local entrepreneurs who have agreed to undertake the manufacture of a simpler version of the hospital bed.