A tent camp for medical care in crisis areas
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Image: modular field hospital; Copyright: Mohammed Ghannam/MSF Image: modular field hospital; Copyright: Mohammed Ghannam/MSF

The Modular Field Hospital of Médecins Sans Frontières

How inflatable surgical tents support medical care in crisis areas

The Modular Field Hospital from Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) enables fast and flexible medical aid in crisis areas. The tent camp is quick to set up, adaptable and yet offers working conditions that are similar to those in standard hospitals, despite extreme circumstances.

In this multimedia report, we look at the functions of the Modular Field Hospital (MFH) for medical use and provide an insight into the outstanding logistics that make this possible. We spoke to Olivier Brandner, who is responsible for the logistical processes and has been on-site on numerous missions to help set up the modular field hospital.

Médecins Sans Frontières provides emergency medical aid in crisis regions around the world. To do this, they need a infrastructure that allows them to treat and care for as many patients as possible. To create precisely this, the organization developed the Modular Field Hospital, which was used for the first time in 2005 after an earthquake in Manshera, Pakistan. It was last used in Chad in 2023 to provide medical assistance to victims of the war in Sudan, where medical care had completely collapsed.

The MFH in Chad 2023

Image: Bird's eye view of the Modular Field Hospital (MFH) site Copyright: MSF
Days after ordering, the MFH was active
Months the Mobile Field Hospital was in use
Beds can be provided by the entire camp

From nothing to a functioning operating theater

Two of the tents are inflatable. This is where operations and maternity surgery take place. The video shows the construction of one of the tents in fast motion (duration in real time: 20 minutes).

Why are the tents inflatable?

"The advantages of the inflatable tent are the vacuum-tight environment and the quick set-up, as it consists of just one part," explains Olivier Brandner. At the same time, however, it also has higher requirements than other tents, emphasizes the logistics expert: "The tent needs an air conditioning system for the air supply and additional electricity to set it up, which is always a major challenge in crisis areas. The tent is also very expensive."

But the benefits outweigh the costs. Because the biggest goal for the 15-person team on site, which consists of medical and logistical experts, is to create the best possible conditions for sterile work.

Prepacked kits and sets: the building blocks for medical missions at the touch of a button

In order to be able to send a Modular Field Hospital quickly to crisis areas, MSF has three sets of a complete MFH in stock, two of them in France near Bordeaux and one in Belgium. They are always ready to go. The vast experience of those within the organization mean that everything needed to provide medical treatment to as many people as possible is available. In addition to the kits for the MFH, there are also prepared kits whose contents are tailored to different requirements and can be dispatched immediately - boxes containing everything from pens to medical equipment.

Olivier Brandner describes the kits

Hard work, difficult circumstances and little time: challenges in logistics

Image: The boxes of the modular tent camp are loaded onto an airplane; Copyright: MSF
Transportation of the MFH set only works with a suitable aircraft.
Olivier Brandner talks about the transport of the MFH

Accessibility of the destination

Many crisis areas are difficult to access due to poor or destroyed infrastructure. Transportation over the last mile often requires the use of smaller vehicles or even manual transport by carriers.

Environmental conditions

Environmental factors such as rain or extreme drought can make the construction and functionality of the hospital more difficult. Especially in desert areas, flooding can occur quickly when it rains, affecting transportation routes and requiring additional planning to ensure equipment remains dry and functional.

Time pressure

In emergency situations, time is a critical factor. Rapid transportation and set-up of the hospital is essential to provide effective medical assistance. Delays in transportation can have a direct impact on medical care and patient outcomes.

Safety and securing the load

Safety during transportation is critical as medical equipment is often fragile and must be packed and transported securely to avoid damage.

Every location is different

Once at the destination, the first step is to make use of the available space and, if possible, adapt it to allow the construction of the staging warehouse. Where can we find water that can be treated in the MFH so that it is drinkable and always accessible? How do we get enough gasoline for the generators that are urgently needed for the electricity? If these basic resources are available, the camp can function self-sufficiently.

The team needs around 50 helpers to set up the camp, who are usually found quickly, as Olivier Brandner has experienced. However, one stumbling block has to be overcome almost every time: the language barrier. As soon as the team finds someone who can translate questions and instructions, everything runs more smoothly.

Impressions of the camp set-up

Precise set-up planning is the basis for a smooth process

Image: Plan of the camp with its functions; Copyright: MFS
This plan shows how the tents are arranged throughout the camp.
Image: plan overview of the tent with the OR theatre; Copyright: MSF
This is the plan for organizing the operating theatres.
Image: Plan of the tent with obstetrics; Copyright: MSF
This is where the delivery room is located.

The furnishings in the tents: simple but functional

Image: Preparation room for the OP; Copyright: MSF
The preparation room for the operating theater
Image: A look into the blood bank; Copyright: MFS
A look into the blood bank
Image: The ready-to-go delivery room; Copyright: MSF
The ready-to-go delivery room
Image: In the operating tent; Copyright: MSF
In the operating tent
Image: The area for inpatients, the In-Patient Department (IPD); Copyright: MSF
The area for inpatients, the In-Patient Department (IPD)

"The equipment in the medical rooms is largely the same as in normal hospitals," describes Brandner. Mobile X-ray, anesthesia, blood bank, cooling systems, biomedical solutions - everything is on site.

After almost 20 years, the Modular Field Hospital has proven to be an efficient way of providing medical care in emergency situations, even in places that are difficult to access. Those behind their successful deployments work hand in hand with experts responsible for each task area. From procurement and logistics to the first surgical operation, they become a well-oiled machine. This can only work with passion and spirited teamwork.

Multimedia editing: Natascha Mörs
MEDICA-tradefair.com
Image: modular field hospital; Copyright: Mohammed Ghannam/MSF

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