Trans RINA, Vol 157, Part C1, Intl J Marine Design, Jan - Dec 2015


MEDICAL SUPPORT VESSEL FOR 2025 (DOI No. 103940/rina.ijmd.2015.c1.46)


S McCartan, E Stubbs, N Crea and A Kennard, EBDIG-IRC, Coventry University, UK S Blaikie, Bibby Marine Survey Services Ltd, UK


SUMMARY


Currently there are significant challenges for humanitarian aid provision in developing countries regarding disaster and disease, such as: cholera; ebola; floods; drought. This project proposes a pontoon based medical support vessel concept for 2025, informed by the design of the Bibby Challenge offshore accommodation pontoo


on. The vessel is towed along


the coast of a developing country by tug to the location of major disasters to provide support, otherwise it is used as a portable medical centre provision with a defined annual route. It would be operated by NGOs for humanitarian aid as a cost effective alternative to a hospital vessel. It uses the principles of Biophilia to enhance the interior environment, in order to improve the recovery of patients and the sttrress levels of staff. In the three days that it would take to erect a field hospital and the additional time and significant cost to transport the associated required infrastructure, the medical support vessel could travel a significant distance along the coast. The use of Passive Design significantly reduces operational costs of the vessel, and reduces the risk of air borne infection. The implementta interior, allows the vessel to be reconfigured in orde


aid provision in developing countries. Advanced HMI and communication technology suppo of the vessel as a resource.


1. INTRODUCTION


The Ebola epidemic de clared on 22 March 2014 soon became the largest in history. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) launched an unprecedented response to exceptional outbreak, and deployed thousands of who treated one-third of all confirmed cases in West Africa. The vulnerability of healthcare workers to Ebola was an unprecedented challenge, resulting in the deaths 00 healthcare workers. The countries affected


this staff of nearly 50


were Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal, in addition to an unrelated Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The virus spread wildly in the region, leading MSF to issue a call at the United Nations (UN) in September 2014 for the mobilisation of international civilian and military medical assets with biohazard capacity. [1]


Research at Northeastern University in Boston pre that Ebola could spread across the world infecting people from the U.S. to China within a three week period. Using and airline


edicted Ebola spread patterns traffic data


calculated the probability of the virus spreading a the world. They predicted a 50 % and 75% chance traveller carrying the disease could arrive in the UK France respectively, by October 24. Whereas, Belgium had a 40 % chance of seeing the disease arrive on its territory, and Spain and Switzerland both had an even lower risks of 14%. These risk were predicated on Air traffic as the means of delivery. There are differences in air connections with the affected areas of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. This factor combined with the different numbers of cases in these three countries affect the probability forecast. The number of weekly passengers on key routes are shown in Figure 2. [2] The UN security council descried the Ebola outbreak as a threat to international peace and security and urged the world to


a they across that a K and


pr rovide health experts,


er to be optimised between the disaster relief role and a humanitari an ort the effective management


supplies. The UN secretary general called for an increase in aid totalling almost $1bn


field hospitals and medical n (£600m) to tackle the crisis


over a six months period. The UN led the global response to contain and eradicate Ebola through the establishing a UN emergency mission to ta


The US sent 3,000 troops to provide logistics, training


and


ackle the growing challenge. in


expertise engineering. Twenty other


countries also responded contributing field hospitals and trained staff. A UN resolutiion was passed to addresses the detrimental effect on the economies of the affected countries due to isolation. It called for the lifting of travel and border restrictions, a resumption of shipping and air ntries and increased efforts to d supplies. These have be en


service to the affected coun deliver health workers and


shut for containment with tthe implementation of strict quarantine controls. [3]


ation of a modular adaptable


Figure 1: Key passenger flow American troops


sent to


ws (weekly volumes) [2] Liberia to construct


field hospitals, encountered poor infrastructure, difficulties © 2015: The Royal Institution of Naval Architects C-163


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