Relief for patients, as porta cabin shelters planned in Chandigarh hospitals

Dr Singh said that none of the three civil hospitals had any dedicated facility for overnight stay at present. While a waiting area was developed at GMSH-16 sometimes to provide relief from extreme weather conditions, it was not sufficient for patients who needed to stay overnight. The proposed porta cabins, she said, would be far more useful for such patients.

ALSO READ | Chandigarh: Health Secy tells GMSH-16 to increase registration counters in Emergency

Dr Singh added that, unlike PGI, these hospitals do not have many patients requiring prolonged hospitalisation, which is why the bed capacity has been kept limited. “However, this facility will be a major relief for patients coming from rural and distant areas,” she added.
If implemented with the onset of the New Year, the initiative is being seen as a humane step towards easing the hardship faced by economically weaker patients and their attendants, who otherwise have no option but to spend nights in hospital corridors or open spaces.

Porta cabins are pre-fabricated, temporary structures that can be installed quickly at any location. Equipped with basic facilities such as roofing, lighting, seating or sleeping arrangements, and protection from heat, cold and rain, they are widely used for temporary accommodation. In hospitals, they will serve as a safe and dignified shelter for patients and caregivers during treatment.