Humanihut’s pop-up hospital attracts global interest for major medical emergencies

Tonsley based company Humanihut has developed a portable isolation hospital for widespread medical emergency hotspots to treat patients with respiratory illnesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Named after the SA-born medical scientist and joint Nobel Prize winner, the Florey isolation hospital was adapted from the company’s designs for disaster accommodation and has attracted interest from government clients in the United States, Europe, Middle East and Australia to better prepare for future epidemics or health crises.

Humanihut Co-Founder and Managing Director Neale Sutton said the Florey was created for the COVID-19 pandemic as a robust and deployable alternative to tents, the previous industry standard for field hospitals. Adapted in partnership with French-based business Utilis International from Humanihut designs for disaster accommodation, the ‘Florey’ isolation hospital was created for the COVID-19  effort in New York as an efficient market-ready alternative to tents.

The basic configuration has 16 flatpack single-bed patient rooms with ensuites, with large containers for a nurse’s station, staffroom, kitchen, bathroom and laundry at both ends. A weatherproof corridor connects the containers and patient rooms. The huts are steel skinned and have insulated walls to maintain a suitable temperature for patients and staff.

The Florey isolation hospital includes utilities for water, power and wastewater treatment, Wi-Fi connectivity, and medical grade equipment supplied by G3 Systems through Humanihut’s partnership with Utilis.

Sutton said two Australian companies provided the important airflow controls. The negative pressure air filtration system to prevent cross-contamination throughout the site is from Airepure Australia and the air conditioning is by globally renowned Seeley International, based in Adelaide. The facility can be delivered by land, air or sea when packed inside the two 40 ft containers. It can be set up within 24 hours and is scalable for increased capacity.

A former soldier, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Humanihut Neale Sutton used his first-hand experience in the hardships of conflict as his inspiration for Humanihut to create an innovative, robust temporary emergency accommodation solution, which is rapidly deployable, has design flexibility for multiple applications, and does not compromise on durability and performance.