Puducherry: The Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) has enhanced its disaster management capabilities by inaugurating the BHISHM Cube (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita & Maitri) — a state-of-the-art mobile medical unit aimed at providing rapid emergency care during natural or man-made disasters.

The initiative comes under the Arogya Maitri Project of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and underscores India's commitment to strengthening emergency healthcare infrastructure, particularly in disaster-prone regions like southern India.

The BHISHM Cube was inaugurated at JIPMER's SSB Annex Entrance by Puducherry District Collector A. Kulothungan, IAS, in the presence of Directorate of Health and Family Welfare Services Director Dr. V. Ravichandran and JIPMER Director Dr. Vir Singh Negi.

A demonstration highlighting the cube's modular design and emergency capabilities was led by Dr. Tanmay Roy, retired Chief Surgeon, Armed Forces, along with technical experts from HLL Lifecare Limited. Doctors, nurses and State Disaster Management officers attended hands-on training sessions showcasing life-saving equipment including defibrillators, portable ultrasound, infusion pumps, and advanced triage modules.

Each BHISHM Cube weighs under 20 kg and can be manually carried or airlifted by drones, ensuring swift deployment even in remote areas. Two cubes together form a trauma care brick capable of treating up to 200 casualties within the crucial golden hour.

Officials said the new system aligns JIPMER with national disaster response goals and exemplifies India's growing capacity for health emergency diplomacy.