A new concept bed – the disposable emergency hospital bed engineered to meet the needs of temporary quarantine centres in India – is now available in the UAE and across the GCC.
The low-cost 100 per cent recyclable bed is made from high strength corrugated board, high-performance grade craft paper and is easy to transport and assemble.
“Although the bed is only 10 kgs, it is engineered to carry 200 kgs. It is coated with a chemical that enables it to withstand liquids so the floor can be mopped, and disinfectant can be used,” says Mahesh Kumar of Regent Trading, which has imported the beds. “A lot of thought and ingenuity has ensured it meets the needs of quarantine centres in the current conditions.”
The beds are easy to assemble – the pieces fit like a jigsaw ensuring the structure is sturdy and secure. Instructions are clear and no instruments or tools are required – not even nails or hammers. The design has taken care of aesthetics as well. Varied bright cheerful colours have been used to add liveliness to quarantine centres, to lift the spirits of patients.
Recyclable hospital bed
More than 50,000 beds are in use in India today across 30 cities and over 100 facilities. The manufacturer has received enquiries for them across the world – from Europe, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East. Regent General Trading is the sole appointed agent for the region and has already imported the first consignment of 500 beds.
Recyclable cardboard is particularly relevant to COVID-19 conditions because cardboard stays infected for 24 hours only whilst the virus can stay on plastic surfaces for three days and on metal for four to seven days, according to reports. The fact that it can be easily disposed makes it effective for containing the infection.
The new concept has been recognised by the Prime Minister’s office in India for one of the top 10 innovations during the COVID-19 crisis. The originators and manufacturers of the bed, Aryan Paper Mill, located in the western state of Gujarat, have filed a patent for the product.
In the current situation, the beds are well suited to quarantine centres and they are fulfilling demand across the world. Once work is normalised, they will be well suited to labour camp fit-outs.