Fangcang hospital explained

Fangcang hospital
Country:China
Type:Makeshift hospital

Fangcang hospital refers to a kind of makeshift/mobile field hospitals used during the COVID-19 pandemic in China.

History and usage

Fancang hospitals are temporary hospitals converted from public venues like stadiums in order to provide large scale medical isolation and health care for patients with mild to moderate symptoms of an infectious disease.[1]

Chinese literature has mentioned the concept of "medical Fangcang" as early as 1989.[2] China has constructed fangcang hospitals during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and 2010 Yushu earthquake.[3] [4]

COVID-19 pandemic

In Wuhan, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020, general medical institutions and the newly expanded pneumonia specialist hospital were overwhelmed by the sudden surge in hospital bed demands by suspected COVID-19 cases.[5] Many patients with existing conditions were also turned away, leading to deaths which were otherwise preventable.[6] [7] Authorities were criticized by experts and citizens alike. Meanwhile, the large number of low-severity cases — almost all are individuals with suspected or mild symptoms — still needed at least a fortnight of isolation (due to the incubation period of SARS-CoV-2).

Officials decided against home isolation for mild to moderate cases, as home isolation is not always properly complied with and it was difficult to organize medical care and monitoring for those in isolation. Furthermore, home isolation could be psychologically taxing on the patients as the patients know that they are putting their family members at risk of infection.[8] On the other hand, in-hospital isolation will hold up medical resources and increase the risk of nosocomial exposure. Under such circumstances, the principle of centralized low-level care management of non-critical patients was adopted. The Government of the People's Republic of China established 16 fangcang hospitals in Wuhan, providing a total of more than 20,000 beds.[9] [10] [11]

As of March 10, 2020, all patients admitted to the square cabin hospital of Wuhan Wushan Hongshan Stadium were discharged. Thus, all 16 fangcang hospitals in Wuhan completed their missions and their cabins were shut down.[12]

Etymology

Fangcang, literally meaning "square cabin", is a Chinese term referring to a portable modular building structure formed using a combination of various solid materials, most notably cargotectures. The concept of "Fangcang" was borrowed from military field hospitals,[13] which was initially introduced by the United States military, who has been making makeshift structures since the 1950s.[14]

Outside of the context of the outbreak, makeshift or Fangcang structures can refer to many kinds of modular structures.

Locations in Wuhan

The following Fangcang hospitals were in use in Wuhan during the COVID-19 pandemic:[15]

Outside Mainland China

The first comparable makeshift hospital built during Russia's outbreak was built at Golokhvastovo in suburban Moscow in March 2020.[18] [19] Similar makeshift hospitals were successively built in countries including Iran, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States.[20] [21] [22] [23]

In Singapore, isolation facilities which were repurposed existing large-scale facilities, like the Singapore Expo, are partially modelled after the Fangcang hospital design.[24]

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Book: Shi, Song . China and the Internet: Using New Media for Development and Social Change . 2023 . . 9781978834736 . New Brunswick, NJ.
  2. 王益群,顾正明.军用方舱简介[J].系统工程与电子技术,1989(01):66-68.
  3. Web site: 新华社. 解放军第一所野战方舱医院18日在绵阳南郊展开. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210126220530/http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2008-05/18/content_981364.htm. 2021-01-26. 2020-08-03. 中国政府网.
  4. Web site: 新华网. 回良玉到玉树地震灾区考察 强调抗震救灾进入新阶段. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210126220531/http://www.fmcoprc.gov.hk/chn/zjgs/tpyhd/t687323.htm. 2021-01-26. 2020-08-03. 中华人民共和国外交部驻香港特别行政区特派员公署.
  5. News: In one Wuhan hospital, long lines, fear and frustration . 21 March 2021 . TODAYonline . . https://web.archive.org/web/20210321011221/https://www.todayonline.com/world/one-wuhan-hospital-long-lines-fear-and-frustration . 21 March 2021. live.
  6. News: Shih. Gerry. In China's 'war' on coronavirus, hospitals turn away other patients — with dire results. en-US. The Washington Post. 2021-03-13. 0190-8286.
  7. News: Qin. Amy. Wee. Sui-Lee. 2020-03-03. 'No Way Out': In China, Coronavirus Takes Toll on Other Patients (Published 2020). en-US. The New York Times. 2021-03-13. 0362-4331.
  8. Chen . Simiao . Zhang . Zongjiu . Yang . Juntao . Wang . Jian . Zhai . Xiaohui . Bärnighausen . Till . Wang . Chen . Fangcang shelter hospitals: a novel concept for responding to public health emergencies . The Lancet . 18 April 2020 . 395 . 10232 . 1305–1314 . 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30744-3 . 32247320 . English . 0140-6736 . Early epidemiological evidence in China showed that more than half of all patients with COVID-19 had at least one family member with the disease, and 75–80% of all clustered infections were within families, suggesting high rates of intrafamily transmission.. 7270591 .
  9. Web site: http://www.xinhuanet.com/2020-02/19/c_1125596243.htm. zh:武汉方舱医院增至12家 计划启用床位超两万张-新华网. www.xinhuanet.com. 2020-02-20. 2020-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20200411153032/http://www.xinhuanet.com/2020-02/19/c_1125596243.htm. dead.
  10. News: Yu. Verna. Senior Wuhan doctor dies from coronavirus as authorities start to 'round up' patients. 2020-02-18. The Guardian. 2020-03-30. en-GB. 0261-3077. 2020-04-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20200423080300/https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/feb/18/senior-wuhan-doctor-dies-from-coronavirus-as-authorities-start-to-round-up-patients. live.
  11. Web site: Coronavirus: Wuhan to build 19 more makeshift hospitals as China struggles to contain epidemic. hermesauto. 2020-02-21. The Straits Times. en. 2020-03-30. 2020-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20200411152802/https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/coronavirus-wuhan-to-activate-one-more-temporary-hospital-with-3690-beds. live.
  12. News: Wuhan to ease lockdown as world battles virus. 2020-03-24. BBC News. 2020-03-30. en-GB. 2020-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20200411152749/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-52016139. live.
  13. Wang . Bing-nan . Cheng . Zheng-xiang . Development and Prospects of Mobile Field Hospital . Chinese Medical Equipment Journal . 2012 . 33 . 92–96 . Chinese . 2021-03-21 . 2023-03-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230320104028/https://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTotal-YNWS201201037.htm . dead .
  14. 冀 . 中仁 . 追根溯源话方舱 . 中国军转民 . 2012 . 9th . 43–47 . Chinese.
  15. Fang . Dongping . Pan . Shengjie . Li . Zaishang . Yuan . Ting . Jiang . Benran . Gan . Di . Sheng . Bai . Han . Jing . Wang . Tao . Liu . Zhongmin . Large-scale public venues as medical emergency sites in disasters: lessons from COVID-19 and the use of Fangcang shelter hospitals in Wuhan, China . BMJ Global Health . June 2020 . 5 . 6 . e002815 . 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002815 . 32546589 . 7298718 . free .
  16. Web site: https://new.qq.com/omn/20200218/20200218A0B9MQ00.html. zh:武汉谌家矶"方舱医院"即将完工 新添3840张床位_腾讯新闻. new.qq.com. 2020-02-20. 2020-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20200411152806/https://new.qq.com/omn/20200218/20200218A0B9MQ00.html. live.
  17. Web site: https://news.ifeng.com/c/7uUNaVxyW8W. zh:武汉首家方舱医院"休舱" 康复者均已出院. news.ifeng.com. 2020-03-30. 2020-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20200411152803/https://news.ifeng.com/c/7uUNaVxyW8W. live.
  18. Web site: https://m.yicai.com/news/100548424.html. zh:俄罗斯也开始在莫斯科建方舱医院了. m.yicai.com. 2020-03-30. 2020-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20200411152807/https://m.yicai.com/news/100548424.html. live.
  19. Web site: Moscow Workers Race to Finish 'Chinese-Inspired' Virus Hospital. 21 March 2020. The Moscow Times.
  20. Web site: http://app.cctv.com/special/cportal/detail/arti/index.html?id=ArtiNStwqOxn6G7lkbMzHaTB200322&fromapp=cctvnews&version=727. zh:学习中国经验！总台记者独家探访伊朗版"方舱医院". app.cctv.com. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200411152810/http://app.cctv.com/special/cportal/detail/arti/index.html?id=ArtiNStwqOxn6G7lkbMzHaTB200322&fromapp=cctvnews&version=727. 2020-04-11. 2020-03-30.
  21. News: https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/world-51993469. zh:肺炎疫情全球确诊30万 西班牙开设方舱医院. 2020-03-22. BBC News 中文. 2020-03-30. zh-Hans. 2020-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20200411152751/https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/world-51993469. live.
  22. Web site: https://www.yicai.com/news/100563956.html. zh:英国版方舱医院准备建设. www.yicai.com. 2020-03-30. 2020-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20200411152814/https://www.yicai.com/news/100563956.html. live.
  23. Web site: http://www.bjd.com.cn/a/202003/24/WS5e79b89ee4b03cc9592da4f1.html. zh:从纽约到德黑兰，全球多地建起"方舱医院". www.bjd.com.cn. 2020-03-30. 2020-04-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20200411152822/http://www.bjd.com.cn/a/202003/24/WS5e79b89ee4b03cc9592da4f1.html. live.
  24. Chia. Ming Li. Him Chau. Dickson Hong. Lim. Kheng Sit. Yang Liu. Christopher Wei. Tan. Hiang Khoon. Tan. Yan Ru. 2020-09-17. Managing COVID-19 in a Novel, Rapidly Deployable Community Isolation Quarantine Facility. Annals of Internal Medicine. 174. 2. 247–251. 10.7326/M20-4746. 0003-4819. 7505018. 32941059.

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