IIT-Madras collaborates with Chengalpattu MCH, develops Doffing Unit for medicos

The design, fabrication and deployment of the unit took place remotely during the lockdown period utilising CSR funds.

Donning is the procedure of assembling PPE on healthcare providers and ‘doffing’ is the procedure for their removal. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has set standards for PPE, and procedures to be followed for donning and doffing PPE to prevent further spread of infections.

Prof Koshy Varghese and Prof Arul Jayachandran, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras designed, fabricated and installed the Doffing Unit in collaboration with the innovation team of Government Chengalpattu Medical College Hospital and a multi-disciplinary team of professionals.

The collaboration in April took place remotely during the lockdown period through online discussions between IIT-M, government departments and other organisations including IIT-M start-up EPMCR and the fabricators, SteelTech and MetalScope, Puducherry.

Officials from the district administration also coordinated with the team to enable the fabrication and safe transportation of the unit to the medical college. The units were commissioned by Chengalpattu District Collector John Louis recently.

To enable continued refinement as well as dissemination of unit design, the Centre for Urbanisation, Building and Environment (CUBE), a Centre of Excellence established at IIT-M jointly with the State government, will work with governments and hospitals to design and advise on deployment of doffing units based on specific needs.