Must Look Back: Demolition Tenders for Local Makeshift Hospitals (AI Translation)

不堪回首须回首：各地方舱医院招标拆除

Over the past two years, since the easing of COVID-19 prevention policies, many makeshift hospitals established during the pandemic have fallen into disuse. These facilities, initially created to isolate and treat infected individuals, are now being auctioned or demolished in regions across China[para. 1]. Initially serving as temporary medical shelters, they were primarily repurposed from public venues like stadiums for isolation purposes, not direct medical treatment. As of December 2022, when public health guidelines were updated, some Fangcang hospitals reverted to their original purposes, while others are considered for demolition due to prolonged idleness[para. 2].

The construction of these hospitals was funded mainly through central and local government finances, often resulting in state-held assets. As these facilities are dismantled, there is a concerted effort to recycle and reuse materials[para. 3]. Various local bidding documents reveal two primary approaches: protective dismantling, whereby materials of reuse value are salvaged for government projects, and outright ownership transfer of materials to bidders as payment for demolition services[para. 4].

A representative example is the Dongguan Ecological Park Health Center in Guangdong, whose assets were divided for auction. In March 2025, a company won the bid for cable disposal for almost 6 million yuan[para. 5]. Initially planned as a dormitory in early 2022, the establishment was converted into a mobile cabin hospital by the end of the year, offering over 3,000 beds in prefab buildings for COVID-19 patients[para. 6][para. 7].

Hospitals being auctioned include various assets, from water heaters and air conditioners to IT equipment, reflecting their temporary nature. The process involves evaluating and setting minimum recovery prices based on asset conditions[para. 8]. For example, in Hainan's Wenchang, minimum recovery prices were set for scrap materials, facilitating competitive bidding based on valuation reports[para. 9].

Hefei’s Shushan District also saw its makeshift hospital dismantled, with the auction outcome revealed in early 2025. These facilities were rapid construction projects, built without thorough approval processes, leading to management challenges post-pandemic[para. 10][para. 11]. Auction attempts have repeatedly occurred for these Fangcang hospitals, reflecting the complexities of extracted values and demand[para. 12][para. 13].

Economically, the debate on the social benefits of such hospitals persists. Significant investments from central funds were allocated for these emergency setups, yet some projects remain undecided due to the shift in health policies and local government deliberations on whether to proceed with constructions already underway[para. 14][para. 15]. Concurrently, there have been discussions on ways to repurpose makeshift hospitals, converting them into facilities that serve different community needs, like elder care or even rehabilitation centers[para. 16].

Official recommendations from governmental bodies suggest embedding dual-use capabilities in public infrastructure, especially in large urban areas, enabling rapid conversion during future health crises[para. 17]. Experiences from the pandemic have driven this initiative, which emphasizes improved emergency response preparedness. However, significant challenges persist in repurposing these vast, basic-amenity structures located in remote areas, testing strategic plans and decision-making capabilities at various government levels[para. 18][para. 19].