Tested in Pak conflict, health ministry to buy 50 cube hospitals

At BHISHM cube’s core are several compact, portable “mini cubes” filled with essential medicines and equipment, designed for rapid deployment in various emergencies.

Each of these indigenously developed mobile hospitals can treat up to 200 people per day, and will be strategically deployed at 22 Central government institutes and hospitals, including at all All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Each Cube consists of medicines and equipment for the first line of care for all kinds of injuries and medical situations. It also includes surgical equipment for a basic Operation Room.

The effectiveness of these mobile hospitals was recently demonstrated during the India-Pakistan conflict, when two BHISHM cubes were successfully used in Kashmir to treat the injured.

These lightweight flat-packed mobile units, which look like tents, can be quickly flown to an affected area and assembled in less than an hour.

“There’s a plan to procure at least 50 BHISHM cubes which are to be stationed in all the AIIMS for use in case of disaster or calamity,” said an official aware of the matter requesting anonymity.

The matter was discussed during the 9th Mission Steering Group (MSG) meeting of the National Health Mission (NHM), held recently and chaired by health minister J.P. Nadda, reflecting a strategic shift towards more agile and efficient healthcare delivery during disasters and public health emergencies.

According to the documents reviewed by Mint, BHISHM cubes are set to replace the previously approved Container-Based Mobile Hospitals (CGMH) under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).

CBMHs, large in size and not easy to move around quickly, were approved in 2021 at a total estimated cost of ₹212.92 crore. On the other hand, BHISHM Cubes are small, modular and easy-to-move mobile hospitals that can be set up quickly.

They use rapid frequency identification or RFID, which helps identify and track things using radio waves. “This change means that India will have a better and faster way to provide emergency medical help wherever it’s needed,” the official added.

BHISHM Cubes, indigenously developed under the aegis of the National Security Council Secretariat as part of the Aarogya Maitri initiative, are designed to treat up to 200 casualties per day directly at the site of an incident.

“The new proposal will utilize approximately ₹133.1 crore from the approved capital budget of PM-ABHIM for the procurement of the 50 BHISHM Cubes,” the documents stated.

The official said that during the meeting, Nadda emphasized the need for a strong system in place to check the quality of the Cubes, especially as so many of them are being ordered. The minister has directed HLL Lifecare Ltd to make sure they meet all the required quality standards.

A high-level committee was suggested to ensure quality standards for the mobile hospitals.

“This initiative is set to greatly improve India’s ability to deliver immediate, life-saving emergency care. This is especially important for making the most of available resources and ensuring these units can be quickly sent to different locations. The BHISHM Cubes are planned for deployment at 22 specific central government hospitals and institutions,” the official said.

Dr Alexander Thomas, founder and patron, Association of Healthcare Providers India (AHPI) and other such organizations, said rapid deployment systems like these are crucial for disaster preparedness and emergency response.

“However, infrastructure alone is not enough. Having an emergency care setup is a good idea, but it must be matched with well-trained personnel—intensivists, nurses, and paramedics—who can effectively manage mass casualty situations. Even in our premier institutions like AIIMS, many posts remain vacant. The success of this initiative will depend not just on technology, but on ensuring adequate manpower, training, and maintenance,” Dr Thomas said.

Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, public health expert and former president at Indian Medical Association (IMA) Cochin chapter, said the shift towards rapidly deployable cube-based mobile hospitals is in line with global trends. “The earlier container-based systems were expensive and cumbersome. Whether it is a natural disaster, epidemic or war, human health requires immediate attention. Such events often occur in inaccessible areas without state of the art healthcare facilities, and hence the need for these mobile hospitals. They need to be staffed by trained personnel, and designating a reserve pool of trained doctors, nurses, technicians, pharmacists and logistics experts in advance will ensure they are immediately available on site at the newly assembled facilities. They may be linked to a parent tertiary hospital,” Dr Jayadevan said.

Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson on Tuesday remained unanswered at press time.