Carmo Weldable Screw Caps Help Improve Safety in Ebola Treatment Facilities

Supporting Safer Patient Care in High-Risk Environments

NRS Relief’s Patient Liner is used by organisations including MSF, WHO and UNICEF to support the treatment of highly infectious diseases such as Ebola. Installed within High Performance Tents developed to UNICEF specifications, the system allows healthcare workers to monitor patients from a protected safe zone, reducing the need for PPE during routine observation.

“The Patient Liner is a unique product because it combines infection-control considerations with the practical requirements of healthcare providers working in challenging environments during disease outbreaks. Every element of the design has been developed with the clinical workflow in mind, from equipment connections to patient observation and privacy. This integrated approach is what sets the solution apart”, says Francesca Cocozza, Director at NRS Relief.

Reducing Dependence on PPE

One of the main objectives behind the Patient Liner was to minimise the need for healthcare workers to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) during routine patient observation.

In the hot and demanding conditions often encountered during Ebola outbreaks, PPE can only be worn for limited periods before workers risk overheating. In addition, the process of putting on and removing PPE is time-consuming and requires support from other staff members.

The Patient Liner allows medical personnel to monitor patients from a protected “safe zone” without the need for full PPE, improving working conditions while saving valuable time and resources.

The Role of Carmo’s Weldable Screw Caps

A key challenge in the design was ensuring that medical equipment could be connected across the liquid-proof barrier without compromising safety.

To solve this, NRS Relief incorporated Carmo’s weldable screw caps and flange into specially designed pass-through ducts that allow electrical cables to safely connect equipment located in the safe zone with patients in the high-risk treatment area.

Each patient bedroom incorporates six cable ports, allowing equipment such as oxygen, infusion pumps and monitoring devices to be connected as required. The ports feature an impervious tightening system when in use and can be securely closed with screw caps when not in use.

Larger Carmo screw caps are also used to create a one-way transfer chute through which fluid bags, syringes, medication, and other supplies can be safely passed into the patient area.

The system is specifically engineered to prevent potentially contaminated items from being transferred back into the safe zone, helping to reduce the risk of cross-contamination and protect healthcare staff.

A dedicated service hatch, measuring approximately 98 mm in diameter, provides an additional controlled passage for medicines, syringes, IV bags, blood bags and other essential supplies. The hatch can be securely closed with a screwed cap when not in use.

A Game-Changing Design Improvement

The current Patient Liner is the fourth generation of specialised treatment solutions developed by NRS Relief over the past 15 years.

“We started using Carmo’s weldable screw caps in this latest generation of our Patient Liner, and they have proven to be a real game changer in helping us design more secure solutions”, says Frank Merks, Head of Design and Engineering, at NRS Relief.

Beyond the access points, the Patient Liner incorporates several design features developed to improve functionality in the field. The module, groundsheet, side walls and roof, are high-frequency welded to create a leakproof construction, whereby the patient area can be fully disinfected without the risk of contaminated fluids entering the monitoring station.

The design also includes curtain panels with magnetic fixings covering the transparent observation windows to provide patient privacy.

This level of integration reflects what NRS Relief and Carmo have developed together: a partnership built around solving a real challenge in the field. Rather than treating individual components as separate parts, both teams worked to make sure they functioned together as one reliable solution. For NRS Relief, Carmo’s weldable screw caps helped address a recurring challenge identified through three earlier generations of the Patient Liner. For Carmo, the collaboration provided an opportunity to apply its technology in a demanding healthcare environment, where the reliability of every component matters.

As infectious disease response continues to evolve, partnerships like this can help turn practical challenges into better solutions. Experience from the field improves product development, while advances in component technology can open new possibilities for humanitarian equipment. Together, NRS Relief and Carmo are continuing to look at how these lessons can support future generations of equipment designed to help protect healthcare workers and patients when it matters most.

“This project is a great example of how close collaboration with customers can transform practical challenges into better solutions. Together with NRS Relief, we have helped find a solution where every component contributes to overall performance and reliability.” says Rolf Bang Torres-Bjelke, Sale Manager, Technical Components.