To support the medical infrastructure in Ukraine, which is facing a variety of challenges and multiple burdens as a result of the war, we launched the “Mobile Intensive Care Unit” (MICU) project in fall 2022.

In conflict situations, the health system is often overburdened within a short space of time at the expense of care for the civilian population. This can also be observed in Ukraine. The lack of personnel and transportation options for patients led to considerations on how to make patient transport more efficient in such scenarios. This gave rise to the idea of using converted buses as “moving intensive care units” alongside regular ambulances. They enable a better personnel ratio and can be set up for the transportation of intensive care patients.

As buses can be purchased cheaply almost anywhere in the world, we developed a concept that uses them as a base and converts them into mobile intensive care units at relatively low cost and time. The first MICU based on this scheme was equipped in Berlin in late summer 2022. We purchased an old coach, refurbished it in our Crisis Response Makerspace, took out the old core and prepared it for further conversion. The bus was then transferred to Ivano Frankivsk, where it was converted into the mobile intensive care unit with the help of our Ukrainian partner organization Metalab.

In a period of around two months, a means of transportation was created that can transport and care for 4 (intensive care) patients and offers doctors enough space to work. In addition, the concept can be used and optimized worldwide by providing the blueprint in humanitarian emergency situations.

Click here for our MICU pitch deck