The Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) inaugurated the BHISHM Cube (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita & Maitri), a state-of-the-art mobile emergency medical unit designed to deliver rapid and effective healthcare during disasters. This initiative, under the Arogya Maitri Project of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, reflects the nation’s growing emphasis on healthcare resilience and disaster preparedness.
The inauguration ceremony took place at the SSB Annex Entrance, JIPMER, and was graced by Shri A. Kulothungan, I.A.S., District Collector of Puducherry. He was joined by Dr. V. Ravichandran, Director of the Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services, Puducherry, and Dr. Vir Singh Negi, Director of JIPMER. A detailed demonstration of the BHISHM Cube was conducted by Dr. Tanmay Roy, Retired Chief Surgeon of the Armed Forces, and the technical team from HLL Lifecare Limited, the project’s implementing agency.
The BHISHM Cube, engineered for both natural and man-made disaster scenarios, is a modular, lightweight unit—each cube weighing under 20 kg—and can be easily transported by hand, drone, boat, or vehicle. It includes defibrillators, portable ultrasound machines, infusion pumps, surgical and anaesthesia stations, and blood warming systems. Following Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocols, it is designed for autonomous operation in austere environments.
Two mother cubes form a trauma response brick capable of treating up to 200 casualties within the crucial golden hour. JIPMER will now host two such trauma units as part of its disaster response arsenal.
The demonstration included active participation from doctors and nurses of the Puducherry Health Department and officers from the State Disaster Management Cell, underlining the importance of multi-agency coordination in disaster scenarios.
With the integration of the BHISHM Cube, JIPMER enhances its emergency preparedness and sets a benchmark in localized yet globally relevant healthcare solutions—underscoring India’s commitment to health security and humanitarian outreach.