BY Fast Company 2 MINUTE READ

As the South African healthcare system continues to battle under the weight of Covid-19, local pharmaceutical company Kiara has developed a solution to scale up much-needed hospital bed capacity in the country.

Several world-class brands including sustainable manufacturing company Xanita, furniture and interior company Brandkonnect and concrete producers Hemma, collaborated on this project to fight the pandemic.

The beds are designed for rapid deployment and can be set up in large open indoor venues such as exhibition halls, conference rooms and community centres. This is ideal an ideal solution as well known venues around South Africa, including the CTICC in Cape Town, are being transformed into temporary Covid-19 hospitals to accommodate for the increasing capacity of hospital patients.

This initiative provides a solution for the need of temporary hospital beds, partition walls and lightweight storage and furniture that is mobile.

“As we see the number of coronavirus cases increase across the continent, there is a high probability for potentially thousands of additional beds being needed over the coming months. Our hospital bed deployment system has the capacity to be manufactured locally in South Africa in only a few days and quickly set up. The cost-effective, flat-packed hospital bed system is designed to be rolled out using existing infrastructure,” said Chief Business Officer of Kiara Hralth, Andrew de Pao.

The boards are produced using consumer waste and no on-site tooling is required. The beds can be set up as quickly as 30 minutes, and units can be disinfected, stored and flat-packed for re-use.

There are currently two designs available: One is a traditional flat bed and the other uses a recumbent system provides a 45 degree angle and can be pushed back with one movement for CPR purposes.

Kiara is an African pharmaceutical company headquartered in Johannesburg with operations in three African hubs. Kiara’s aim is to commercialize uniquely differentiated health products and technologies that meet unmet needs in select high growth African countries.