(05) Shortage of healthcare facilities during Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, Dr. Maha Hassan

Dr. Maha M. Hassan
Associate Professor, Structural Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Cairo (Egypt) and Civil Engineering Department, University of Prince Mugrin, Madinah (Saudi Arabia)
Email: m.modather@upm.edu.sa

DOI: 10.47556/J.WJEMSD.19.3-4.2023.5

Abstract: Various lessons were learnt during the past COVID-19 pandemic including its influence on demand for permanent and temporary construction of healthcare facilities. Due to COVID19 spread, many healthcare facilities were overflown by patients leading to lack of proper healthcare service to many cases. Many countries resorted to building new facilities or converting non-medical ones. Fast track construction techniques were employed to construct such facilities within due time. In addition, due to the lock down imposed in many countries, access to resources needed for construction was limited and dependance on local resources was inevitable. This paper focuses on the impact of pandemics on construction industry and the humanitarian sides related to response by ensuring each citizen has equal access to proper healthcare service. The study is initiated by exploring optimum structural systems for fast construction of new permanent healthcare facilities considering the associated life cycle costs and construction duration. Detrimental factors are considered including needed spaces for care of patients, support services, technical equipment, HVAC systems, and water supplies.
Keywords: Fast construction, Pandemic, Healthcare, emergency preparedness