40.1 In Practice: Improving Patient Care in the Field: The CUBE Isolation Unit

The CUBE (Chambre d’Urgence Biosécurisée pour Epidémies, or emergency biosecurity chamber for epidemics) is an innovative, field-deployable shelter and isolation system for treating patients with dangerous infectious diseases. After the experience of working in cumbersome personal protective equipment (PPE) in tropical heat in the old Ebola treatment unit design, allowing caregivers to interact with patients for only 20 minutes at a stretch, the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) convened a working group to devise a better way to care for patients with Ebola and other highly transmissible, dangerous diseases. The result was the CUBE, a smaller containment structure for each patient, with transparent plastic walls, built-in ports resembling full-body gloves and airlock door and window portals. The CUBE allows for face-to-face contact between patients and their relatives as well as caregivers, without the need for PPE except when the caregiver needs direct contact with the patient.