The department of science and technology in collaboration an IIT Madras start up has come up with a portable micro structure named ‘MediCAB’ for COVID-19 treatment which is foldable and has a doctor’s room, an isolation room, a medical room/ward, and a twin-bed ICU, said Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Friday.

The DST has developed it in collaboration with ‘Modulus Housing, the start-up incubated by IIT Madras. They have come up with a solution using a decentralised approach to detect, manage and treat COVID-19 patients in local communities through portable microstructures.

“Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology, under DST in collaboration with ‘Modulus Housing’ – a start-up incubated by IIT Madras – has come up with a solution using decentralised approach to detect, manage & treat COVID-19 patients in local communities thro portable micro structures,” tweeted the Union Minister.

Dr Vardhan, in a tweet, said that the portable micro structure named as ‘MediCAB’, is foldable and is composed of four zones – a doctor’s room, an isolation room, a medical room/ward, and a twin-bed ICU, maintained at negative pressure.

These structures can be easily transported and installed in any geographic location in 2 hours with the help of four persons, said Dr Vardhan.

The cabins in the MediCAB are tightly sealed are dust-proof. ‘MediCAB’ can withstand harsh weather and heavy rains, he added.

He further said, “As of now, a 30-bedded hospital at a cost of Rs 34 lakhs at Chengalpet, Chennai and another 12-bedded hospital in Wayanad, Kerala at a cost of Rs 16 Lakh at Primary Health Care, Varadoor have been successfully installed as four-zone hospitals.”