IIT-Guwahati Designs Unique ‘Green Gold’ Furniture for NE Hospitals Treating COVID-19

The current range of furniture being designed by the institute includes beds, examination tables, wheelchairs and screens between beds, amongst others. These will be particularly useful for isolation and quarantine centers.

Today, as India battles the COVID-19 epidemic, the professor and his team have brought the project back to life.

“The Northeast has more than 140 species of bamboo. Seeing that people here have integrated bamboo in their everyday life, and there are skilled craftspeople as well, why not explore it for situations like the present epidemic? When public health centers are set up, the government issues grant to purchase beds and wheelchairs, but those may deteriorate in a few years due to lack of maintenance and upkeep. Replacements are hard to come by, but bamboo is a really effective one. Additionally, it is sustainable and can also help local craftsmen get employment,” says Professor Punekar.

The current range of furniture being designed by the institute includes beds, examination tables for patients, wheelchairs, screens between beds, IV fluid stands and computer tables, amongst others. This equipment will be particularly useful for isolation and quarantine centers that can house large numbers of people.