Latest news with #BHISHM
Mint
11-05-2025
- Health
- Mint
India to boost production of combat medicines, pharma dept told to prepare list of drugs
New Delhi: India plans to increase the production of combat medicines, including drugs to treat burns, blood replenishers for treatment of trauma injuries such as gunshot wounds, and orthopedic implants. The Department of Pharmaceuticals has been tasked to come up with a list of such medicines and ensure an increase in their production to mitigate health risk from the ongoing conflict with Pakistan. Also Read | Health emergency plan introduced for J&K, portable hospitals in Poonch, Uri The top drug price regulator—National Pharmaceutical Price Regulator (NPPA)—has been directed by the Centre to ensure that the prices of such pharmaceutical items are brought under control. 'The department of pharmaceuticals along with the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) is preparing a list of all such medicines used for the treatment of trauma and burn injury, bullet injury and wound etc, so that the production of such pharmaceutical items can be augmented in the country to deal with any health emergency, if needed," said an official familiar with the matter. Also Read | E-pharmacies, chemists at odds as govt mulls a stop to home delivery of drugs A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by the union health minister J.P. Nadda on Friday to review the preparedness of the health sector. In a war-like situation, health expenditure significantly goes up due to higher demand for medical care, particularly for combat-related injuries and the mental health impacts of conflict. Medicines and surgical equipment like painkillers, antibiotics, gauges, orthopedic implants, blood replenishers among other products are used for the treatment of trauma injuries, bullet or gunshot wounds, etc. Also Read | India should permit easier access to over-the-counter medicines The official added that the top drug regulator has been tasked to review the companies which are manufacturing such products so that they can be and directed to increase the production of such items. 'Similarly, the NPPA has to ensure the price control of these pharmaceutical items." During the meeting, the government the reviewed the medical preparedness for handling emergency cases, deployment of ambulances; ensuring adequate availability of medical supplies including equipment, medicines, supply of blood vials and consumables; hospital readiness in terms of beds, ICU and HDU; deployment of BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita and Maitri) Cubes, advanced mobile trauma care units etc. 'A 24*7 control and command centre is being set up in the health ministry to monitor ongoing efforts and support states in the present times and fulfil the requirements of the state/UT governments," the official said. A senior doctor from the burns and plastic department at a government hospital said, 'We are ready to tackle any health crisis and we have adequate number of beds, medical supplies etc. In the event of trauma injury or gun shot injury, medicines like painkillers, antibiotics and requirements of blood get increased." Dr Mahesh Mangal, head of plastic surgery department at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said that main war-related injuries are caused by blasts and burns. "A hospital's trauma team comprising plastic surgeons, orthopedic surgeon, neuro surgeon, general surgeon etc, should be capable of saving the life of the patient. Requirement of combat medicine increases during this time—which are life-saving drugs, blood and blood products, fluids, dressings, oxygen, antibiotics and painkillers." Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson remained unanswered.
News18
10-05-2025
- Health
- News18
Over 1,000 Doctors Trained As India Set To Deploy Portable Hospitals Near Borders Amid Tensions With Pakistan
Last Updated: The world's first disaster hospital, fitted in 72 cubes that can be airlifted, is being packed and delivered to several locations across India Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the central government has begun deploying made-in-India portable disaster hospitals across all border areas, News18 has learnt. The world's first disaster hospital, fitted in 72 cubes that can be airlifted, is being packed and delivered to several locations across India. Also, India has begun training doctors to use this cube-style hospital, known as the Aarogya Maitri Cube. Project BHISHM Built under the project BHISHM—Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri—these cubes contain an operation theatre, mini-ICU, ventilator, blood test equipment, X-ray machine, cooking station, food, water, shelter, power generator, and many more facilities. 'In the last 20 days, we have dispatched around 30 to 40 Cubes from our warehouse to institutes of national importance across the border areas," former Air Vice Marshal Dr Tanmoy Roy, who headed the BHISHM task force in 2023, told News18. Roy, who is credited as the visionary behind the BHISHM cubes, which are designed for rapid deployment in disaster and conflict zones, said that the cubes are being deployed as per the plan designed and communicated by the union ministry of health and family welfare. The kits are being procured by HLL Lifecare, which is a Miniratna enterprise under the ministry of health and family welfare. Apart from Jammu & Kashmir, AIIMS Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh), AIIMS Rishikesh (Uttarakhand), AIIMS Jodhpur (Rajasthan), and AIIMS Bathinda (Punjab) have also received the BHISM cubes, along with Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Pondicherry) and North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong, Meghalaya. In the next week, Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital is also expected to receive the delivery. These cubes can be quickly moved to the location of the crisis, as and when required, along with doctors and paramedics. Over 1,000 doctors trained to handle war-related injuries In the last ten days, more than 1,000 doctors and paramedic staff have been trained on Aarogya Maitri Cube hospitals. The portable hospital has been designed to handle war-like health emergencies, which include bullet injuries, explosions, fractures, and bleeding. The hospital contains an anaesthesia kit, which contains advanced surgical equipment, with an operation theatre (OT) for casualties needing surgical intervention. The OT contains one foldable table for a surgical team of five people. It has a ventilator, anaesthesia, and several other important medical devices. 'The training is going on across India. In the last 10 days, we have trained more than 1,000 doctors and other healthcare staff," said Roy, who came back on Saturday morning from Jammu after training doctors in the tense region. 'We are training them on how they can use the portable hospital as normally as they use their usual premises. Also, doctors are trained for trauma, but not war. We are trying to make them familiar with war-like situations and triage." The BHISHM cube has everything that a doctor would need to handle a mass casualty. 'From handling bleeding, bullet injuries, explosive blasts, fractures, spine injuries, and lung or abdomen injuries to conducting surgeries—the cube has everything," said Roy. First Published: May 10, 2025, 22:48 IST
Hans India
10-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Nadda chairs high-level meet on health infrastructure
Hyderabad / New Delhi: Amid the Union Home Ministry's directive for states to activate emergency provisions, the Union Health Ministry is assessing the preparedness of medical services to operate continuously across the country, particularly in border states. Union Health Minister JP Nadda chaired a high-level meeting to review the preparedness of emergency health systems, involving senior officials from the Health Ministry. The Union Health Secretary reported on a series of meetings with states, Union Territories (UTs), and central government hospitals and healthcare institutions to ensure seamless coordination among relevant stakeholders at both the national and state levels, facilitating an effective response. The Union Health Minister emphasised the need for all medical emergency response systems to be adequately equipped and operational at all times. He also instructed that strong connections with all state governments, especially at the district level in border states, should be strategically established to ensure immediate access to emergency healthcare when necessary. Furthermore, he directed the establishment of a 24/7 control and command centre within the Ministry to monitor ongoing efforts and support states during this time. The current status of medical preparedness for handling emergencies was presented during the meeting. Updates included the deployment of ambulances, the availability of medical supplies such as equipment, medicines, blood vials, and consumables, as well as hospital readiness regarding beds, ICU, and HDU units. Advanced mobile trauma care units and BHISHM cubes have also been deployed.
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Health Minister Nadda chairs review meeting on Emergency Health Systems preparedness
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda has directed all medical establishments to ensure that medical emergency response health systems are adequately equipped and functional at all times. Also, the All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi and other Central Government hospitals have been asked to mobilise doctors and nurses with supplies for ready deployment. At a high-level meeting on Friday (May 9, 2025), Mr. Nadda directed to ensure that ground-level linkages with all State Governments, particularly at the district levels, especially border States, be effectively established to ensure immediate emergency healthcare, if required. Operation Sindoor LIVE Updates from May 9, 2025 'A round-the-clock control and command centre in the Ministry will monitor ongoing efforts and support states in the present times,' he said. Additionally, all hospitals and medical institutions have been asked to ensure availability of essential drugs, adequate supply of blood, oxygen, trauma care kits etc. 'They have been advised to coordinate with State and district administration, armed forces and regional associations of doctors, nurses, paramedics, private sector hospitals, charitable institutions etc., to strengthen the emergency response networks in a collaborative manner,' said a senior Health Ministry official. At the meeting, the Health Minister was briefed about the status of medical preparedness for handling emergency cases. He was apprised of the actions taken regarding deployment of ambulances, ensuring adequate availability of medical supplies including equipment, medicines, supply of blood vials and consumables, hospital readiness in terms of beds and deployment of BHISHM Cubes, advanced mobile trauma care units and so on. The Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri (BHISHM), part of Project Aarogya Maitri, is an innovative emergency medical aid program. Nationwide mock drills for disaster preparedness have been conducted at various health care institutes. 'Union Health Ministry is closely monitoring the situation and remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted healthcare services and emergency response across all regions,'' said a release issued by the Ministry.
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Business Standard
09-05-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
BHISHM medical cubes deployed in J&K hospitals under Aarogya Maitri project
BHISHM cubes, the indigenous portable modular medical facility, are being deployed at prominent hospitals such as AIIMS Jammu and SKIMS Srinagar near India's border under the government's Aarogya Maitri project to bolster medical readiness, officials said on Friday. The development comes on the heels of Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Friday reviewing health infrastructure preparedness across hospitals in the country amid the ongoing Operation Sindoor and the ongoing India-Pakistan military conflict, official sources said. These BHISHM cubes are also being stationed in other Institutes of National Importance (INIs) across India, including AIIMS in Rishikesh, Bilaspur and Delhi, they said. "We are also providing operational training to the respective medical institutes where BHISHM cubes have been deployed. So far two BHISHM cubes have been deployed at AIIMS, Jammu and more are being diverted to this centre. "Besides, around 35 other BHISHM cubes so far have been deployed across other Institutes of National Importance (INIs) across India," said Air Vice Marshal Dr Tanmoy Roy, HLL Lifecare. Dr Roy said HLL Life Care Ltd under the Union Health Ministry is the nodal agency for the procurement and deployment of Aarogya Maitri Cube. BHISHM cubes are portable and rapidly deployable modular medical facilities to provide emergency lifesaving clinical care in the event of disaster or public health emergencies. Each cube is equipped with medicines and surgical equipment for basic operations, and it has the capacity to handle around 200 diverse emergency cases. The cube comprises 72 easily transportable components, designed for versatile delivery methods including hand-carry, bicycle or even drone transport. 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. Being robust, waterproof and lightweight, the cubes are also built to withstand harsh conditions. Their flexible configuration allows deployment in diverse emergency scenarios. The system can be quickly dispatched via airdrop or ground transportation, ensuring swift response to crises anywhere. In the wake of Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting with secretaries of various ministries and called for continued alertness and clear communication, while reaffirming the government's commitment to national security and operational preparedness. The Indian armed forces are on high alert in the wake of the current hostilities between New Delhi and Islamabad following the Pahalgam terrorist attack of April 22 and India's strike on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation. Pakistani forces are targetting border areas on the Indian side, killing at least 13 people and injuring others.
