Patna: AIIMS Patna conducted a tabletop exercise on disaster preparedness on July 24 to strengthen coordination among agencies ahead of a proposed full-scale multi-agency mock drill involving the deployment of the BHISHM Cube.
The exercise brought together officials from health, disaster management, emergency services, police, fire services and other stakeholder agencies to discuss response mechanisms during mass casualty incidents.
Focus On BHISHM Cube Deployment
During the session, AIIMS Patna demonstrated the capabilities of the BHISHM Cube and discussed its role in providing medical support for critically injured patients during disasters.
The participants reviewed operational plans, resource mobilisation, casualty management, patient evacuation procedures and the responsibilities of different agencies involved in emergency response.
Participation From Multiple Agencies
The exercise was attended by representatives from the Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC), Government of Bihar, including Dr Ragini Mishra, Nodal Officer (HEOC), and officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Health Department, district administration, Bihar Police, Fire and Emergency Services and other allied agencies.
Other participants included Dr C B Narayan from NDRF, Gaya Nand Singh from Fire Services, Md Ali Ansari from the Traffic Department, S B Dubey, Assistant Manager (Fire Services–Aviation), Adity from the Airport Authority, Vishal from F&CAO, along with representatives from AIIMS Patna and other departments.
Mock Drill Planned In Rohtas
The participating agencies discussed the proposed disaster response plan and expressed their commitment to the full-scale multi-agency mock drill, which is provisionally scheduled for August 22, 2026, at Karmachat Dam in Rohtas district.
A detailed disaster scenario was presented by Dr Anil Kumar, Professor and Head of the Department of Trauma Surgery at AIIMS Patna and Nodal Officer for the BHISHM Cube Programme.
The scenario covered incident command systems, communication protocols, emergency resource deployment, casualty handling and evacuation strategies.
AIIMS Patna Reaffirms Support
Dr Anil Kumar said effective planning, coordination and collaboration among agencies are necessary to improve Bihar’s preparedness for mass casualty incidents.
AIIMS Patna Executive Director Prof (Brig.) Dr Raju Agarwal and Medical Superintendent Prof (Dr) Prashant Kumar Singh appreciated the participation of various agencies and reaffirmed the institute’s support for the BHISHM Cube deployment during the upcoming mock drill.
The exercise concluded with a commitment from participating organisations to work together to strengthen disaster preparedness and emergency medical response systems in Bihar.
