Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during presentation of BHISHM cube to Ukraine, in Kyiv, on August 23, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Friday (August 23, 2024) said that India has handed over 10 BHISHM cubes, which contain medical support equipment of 22 tonnes along with 10 generator sets.
The presentation of the Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri (BHISHM) cubes has been one of the key highlights of the ongoing visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to war-affected Ukraine.
The BHISHM Cubes, also known as Arokya Maitri cubes, are critical trauma care cubes that have been indigenously developed by Project BHISHM under Project Aarogya Maitri .
Spearheaded by HLL Life Care, the government’s designated agency for sourcing the kit, and manufactured by multiple sellers collaborating to provide a diverse range of essential medical products, this project was initiated in 2022 through the Ministry of Defence.
The BHISHM cubes are an easy-to-use, mobile medical facility that can be swiftly deployed to save lives in the most challenging circumstances. It can provide critical medical care to 100 survivors for up to 48 hours, making it a lifeline on remote and tough terrains where immediate medical attention is needed.
According to reports, the aid cube is equipped with several innovative tools designed to enhance disaster response and medical support during emergencies. It integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics to facilitate effective coordination, real-time monitoring, and efficient management of medical services in the field.
Each cube consists of a fully equipped operation theatre, mini-ICUs, ventilators, blood-testing equipment, an X-ray machine, and even a cooking station. It also includes a shelter facility and power generator, making it entirely self-sufficient during emergencies.
The life-saving equipment are packed in a set of “mini-cubes” and a combination of these mini-cubes is used to set up a mobile hospital capable of performing life-saving surgery. The mini-cubes are carried in a “Aarogya Maitri Cube Cage”, which has three frames, each accommodating 12 mini-cubes. An Aarogya Maitri Cube Cage can fit 36 mini-cubes overall.
Earlier, the central government in collaboration with the Indian Air Force and Indian Army carried out a first-of-its-kind precise para-drop operation of the Aarogya Maitri Health Cube at a high-altitude area close to 15,000 feet on August 17, 2024. It was also deployed at Ayodhya for the inauguration ceremony, the ‘Pran Pratishtha,’ of the Ram Mandir on 22nd January.
India has already gifted these units as a goodwill gesture to Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
