BHISHM Portable Hospital Cubes Undergo First Airdrop Test By Air Force In Agra: WATCH

Indian Air Force conducted the maiden airdrop test for BHISHM portable cubes in Agra, to assess its potential of deployment to cater to emergency situations.

Indian Air Force on Tuesday tested Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita and Maitri (BHISHM) portable hospital cubes in Agra for airdrop from the aircraft. This is the first time that the air force has tested the portable hospital. The test was conducted to see if it was possible to successfully deploy the hospital to cater to emergency situations.

Indigenous BHISHM Hospitals Delpoyed In Ayodhya

In January, the Centre deployed two Arogya Maitri Disaster Management Cube-BHISHM in Ayodhya to bolster medical readiness and response capabilities. This was done in view of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony ahead of PM Modi's visit to Ayodhya for the ceremony, which was expected to be attended by around 8,000 guests. These cubes were equipped with cutting-edge technology and were a part of the government's broader initiative named “Project BHISHM” – Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita and Maitri.

BHISHM has been tailored to treat up to 200 casualties, with the prime focus on rapid response and comprehensive care.

These Aid Cubes are equipped with multiple innovative tools, which are designed to improve disaster response and provide medical support in case of emergencies. The functioning of these cubes is based on the integration of Artificial Intelligence and data analytics that ensure the facilitation of effective coordination, efficient management of medical services, and real-time monitoring, as noted in a press release by the government.

One whole unit consists of 72 components that can be easily transported and conveniently carried by either hand, cycle, or even drone, thus providing unmatched flexibility.

When faced with mass casualty incidents (MCIs), which require a range of things from basic aid to advanced medical and surgical care, these Aid Cubes stand out, given their ability to be deployed within just 12 minutes. This in turn bridges the time gap between administering primary care to definite care, which is crucial in emergency cases, and can potentially assist in saving numerous lives.

Apart from being robust, these cubes are waterproof and light, and are designed for various configurations. This makes them ideal for use in various emergency scenarios. Another key feature of the cube is its advanced medical equipment, which is RFID-tagged to efficiently repack and redeploy. From ground transportation to airdrops, the cube's rapid deployement feature ensures its immediate response capability.

The state-of-the-art BHISHM software system is integrated into a tablet that enables operators to locate items, oversee their usage and expiry, and to make sure that they are ready for subsequent deployments.