With the onset of COVID Pandemic in March 2020, almost all major cities in India were in dire need of increasing bed capacities of existing hospitals and dedicated new COVID Centres. The Society recognised this need immediately and through its Institutional Social Responsibility (ISR) initiative decided to contribute towards setting up of these beds in the Navi Mumbai Region. The SIES School of Packaging - Packaging Technology Centre (SIES SOP), was entrusted with this responsibility. SIES SOP could immediately identify a supplier of Beds who could produce multiple beds in a short time to satisfy this immediate need.

Lightweight, but Robust CFB Beds

The supplier was Aryan Packaging Industries (Vapi, Gujarat) who had designed and developed an impressive Bed made from Corrugated Fibre Board (CEB) which is a material frequently used in packaging industry. These emergency hospital beds are made from corrugated boards using high strength paper and can support a weight of over 200 kg.

Assembled Beds

They are eco-friendly, light weight, easy to move, assemble and easy to dispose. Transportation, too, is economical as the components of these beds can be flat stacked easily in trucks. They can be assembled without any nails, glues or stitching at the site.

Beds assembled ang Set up at NMMC COVID Care Centre, Panvel, Navi Mumbai

The SIES team Procured 105 such CFB Beds and donated them to the NMMC COVID' Gare Centre at Panvel, Navi Mumbai in April-May 2020. In addition, SIES donated 105 sets of mattresses! bedsheets, pillows and blankets required for the beds. Further, the SIES team physically helped in assembling these beds at the hospital. Whole- hearted support to the health care workers and the healthcare system is paramount in these uncertain and testing times to overcome the pandemic. The project COVID - BEDS was timely and was received with gratitude by the Disaster Management team in Panvel.