Kaithal’s 100-bed portable hospital boosts healthcare facilities in district

Set-up amid the speculations of the third wave of Covid-19, Haryana’s first 100-beds portable hospital has given a boost to healthcare facilities in Kaithal district.

Built within the premises of the Kaithal civil hospital, the portable hospital cost nothing to the government. The ₹3.6 crore project was taken up by an NGO and was set up by medi-cab. The IIT-Madras-incubated start-up, Modulus Housing has developed this idea of portable hospital units called medi-cab. The medi-cab was first launched in Wayanad district of Kerala.

Since its inauguration by Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on February 26, the Kaithal hospital has provided treatment to hundreds of patients.

The hospital was set up with efforts of Pankhuri Gupta, a former chief minister’s good governance associate, as she made efforts to generate the funds required for this hospital when only two months were left of her contract with the government.

“During the second wave, we felt the need for more hospital beds to ensure that people of Kaithal do not face any problem if the number of Covid cases increase in future. I came to know that medi-cab could set up a portable hospital in Kaithal but it required ₹3.6 crore,” Gupta said.

“So, I contacted many NGOs and people involved in social activities for funding and managed to raise the ₹3.6 crore required with the help of the American India Foundation for a portable 100-bed hospital including an intensive care unit. We finished building the hospital in the target time of 1.5 months,” she added.

“I am humbled and thankful to the administration for smooth implementation of the project and am grateful that I could leave a valuable addition to the district’s healthcare services,” she said.

As per officials of the district health department, this hospital has all the latest facilities including an ICU and ventilators to treat critical patients.

The portable unit has been set up with prefabricated modular technology and telescopic frame for easy transportation. The life of such hospitals is around 15 years.

Kaithal deputy commissioner Pradeep Dahiya said setting up of the portable hospital has given boost to healthcare facilities here and has helped the health authorities provide better facilities to patients as now the number of beds has increased in district.

Kaithal chief medical officer Dr Jayant Ahuja said the hospital is operational and is being utilised for emergency services. He said induction of this facility has improved health services, especially in the emergency ward. Hindustan Times