The American India Foundation (AIF), Goldman Sachs (GS), and Lenovo India recently launched a 70-bed mobile hospital at Doddaballapur, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
AIF installed the facility as part of the philanthropic efforts of GS and Lenovo India to provide COVID care.
In April 2021, the second wave became much more severe and created unprecedented levels of morbidity and mortality, challenging the public health system in a way never seen before. In order to be prepared for future crises, the healthcare system needs to be augmented with facilities equipped with ventilators, oxygen concentrators, and other medical supplies.
As a result of this pandemic, the makeshift hospital will prove to be very useful to the people of Doddaballapur and its surroundings. It will continue to serve the people for almost 20 to 25 years. “The government would like to thank Lenovo India, Goldman Sachs, the American Indian Foundation for its CSR and the UNDP for its technical support,” said B.S. Yediyurappa, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka.
According to Professor K. VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India, “We have intensified our efforts to strengthen our healthcare systems in the past few months.”. Government initiatives are supplemented by partnerships with industry in order to upgrade critical care hospital infrastructure. The MediCAB facilities are being set up to enhance the preparedness of state health systems. To be launched in July is an initiative to extend hospitals in Doddaballapur, Bengaluru. This momentum must continue, and we need to facilitate efforts in other states too.”
There are 62 isolation units and 8 intensive care units (ICUs) in Mother & Child Hospital’s newly renovated facility, which includes triage and treatment centers. With the addition of 70 new beds, COVID-19-affected patients will be better able to receive treatment and care. Each modular portable bed unit is designed to last for 25 years and it can easily be deconstructed or repurposed for relocating people and extra space for various community needs.
As part of our core strategy for COVID-19 relief, we are working with state governments to enhance the health infrastructure. GS and Lenovo India have provided us an opportunity to serve the poor people in critical need of intervention through these rapidly deployable hospitals, which will fill a major health infrastructure gap, especially in rural areas,” said Mathew Joseph, Country Director, AIF.
Goldman Sachs supports India’s fight against COVID-19, according to Srivathsan P, head of Controllers and CFO of the Goldman Sachs Services division in India.
“We hope that this portable hospital will help increase access to critical medical care, and help in India’s recovery.”
We aimed to partner with and collaborate with local organizations working closely with State Governments on the ground and strengthen the health care systems. To ensure that every possible support is extended to the most vulnerable who are affected by this pandemic, all stakeholders should come together and work together. We are pleased to be a contributor in the installation of these hospital extension facilities through Project MediCab,” observed Shailendra Katyal, Managing Director, Lenovo India.
AIF has provided 5212 oxygen concentrators, 30,000 non-electric ventilators, 13000 monitors, 2600 portable hospital beds across 35 cities, and Oxygen Plants in 50 cities in India to help alleviate public health infrastructure shortages across the country.
Aiding 1.32 million beneficiaries in 29 states and providing 115000 medical personnel with equipment totaling 59000+, AIF provided immediate aid to those in need during its initial efforts.
The second wave, starting April 2021, was much more severe and challenged the public health system with extreme shortage of oxygen supplies resulting in unprecedented number of morbidities. To ensure future preparedness, there emerged a great need for augmentation of the healthcare system including hospital beds equipped with Ventilators, Oxygen Concentrators and other medical supplies to meet the current and future crises of this nature.
“The makeshift hospital will be very useful to the people of Doddaballapur and its surrounding areas during this pandemic and will continue to serve the people for almost 20 to 25 yrs. The government extends its gratitude to Lenovo India, Goldman Sachs, American Indian foundation for the CSR and UNDP for the technical support,” said Shri B.S. Yediyurappa, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka.
Prof. K. VijayRaghavan, Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India, said, “Strengthening our healthcare systems across the country has been intensified over the past few months. Government efforts are supplemented by the partnership with industry to refurbish existing hospital infrastructure to improve critical care. MediCAB facilities are being set up to aid state governments’ efforts to enhance the preparedness of their health systems. The support to extend hospitals in Doddaballapur, Bengaluru, is one such initiative to be launched in July. The goal is to keep this momentum and facilitate the ongoing efforts in other states too.”
The newly upgraded facility in Mother & Child Hospital includes triage and treatment centers, of which 62 beds are in isolation units and 08 are in the intensive care unit (ICU). The additional 70 new beds increase the hospital’s current 70 bed capacity, boosting its ability to treat and care for those affected by COVID-19. The modular portable bed units have 25-year durability and each unit can easily be deconstructed or repurposed as extra space for various community needs or disaster relief.
