Vedanta Aluminium conducts filaria awareness drive in Jharsuguda, reaching over 7000 people

Jharsuguda:Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, recently conducted a filaria awareness and medicine distribution program at Jharsuguda, Odisha, reaching out to more than 7000 beneficiaries.As part of the awareness drive, Ms. Deepali Das – MLA, Jharsuguda district, flagged-off Vedanta’s ‘Filaria Awareness Rath’, a mobile unit well-equipped with visual teaching aids and announcement systems, aimed at boosting awareness amongcommunity members about the Filaria disease.

Also known as lymphatic filariasis, filaria is a severe tropical disease caused by parasitic worms transmitted through mosquito bites, leading to painful and disfiguring swelling of limbs and other body parts. With cases spiking during the monsoon season, it poses a significant public health challenge. In response, Vedanta conceptualised the awareness drive, which was launched in the presence of several key figures includingMr. Prabir Naik – Assistant District Magistrate, Jharsuguda, Dr.Dolamani Patel – Chief District Medical & Primary Health Officer, Jharsuguda, Mr. Bulunath Sahu – District Program Manager, National Health Mission, and Mr. PK Panda – Principal, DAV School, Jharsuguda.

The health campaign sensitized residents on ways to prevent filaria, and included the distribution of filaria prevention tablets in over 70 villages within the Jharsuguda and Lakhanpur blocks. To complement the efforts made on the ground, the company has also installed informative hoardings at strategic locations across the district to highlight filaria preventive measures and provide valuable information on the disease to the community.

Speaking about the company’s healthcare interventions for the communities, Mr. Sunil Gupta, COO, Vedanta Limited- Aluminium Business said “At Vedanta Aluminium, we are committed to the health and well-being of the communities we operate in. The filaria awareness and medicine distribution initiative is a testament to our ongoing efforts to promote community welfare and creating a positive impact. I thank the district administration for joining hands with us to execute such impactful health awareness programs, through which we aim tocontribute to the overall health of the residents in Jharsuguda.”

Appreciating the company for their efforts in creating awareness,Dr. Dolamani Patel – Chief District Medical & Primary Health Officer, Jharsuguda, said “Collaborative efforts between government authorities and private entities like Vedanta Aluminium play a crucial role in addressing public health challenges. The filaria awareness campaign and medicine distribution program demonstrates the significance of community engagement in disease prevention. We appreciate Vedanta’s initiative and look forward to more such partnerships that prioritize the health of our citizens.”

With the aim to improve the health conditions of local communities, Vedanta Jharsuguda has been actively providing a wide spectrum of basic and specialized health services in and around its areas of operations, including:

• Mobile Health Units (MHUs): Vedanta’s MHU services are equipped to provide basic healthcare services right to the doorsteps of the community on a regular basis to more than 54,000 people annually in remote villages.
• Nand Ghars: Through Nand Ghars, which are modernized Anganwadis supported by Vedanta Aluminium, the company provides quality healthcare and proper nutrition to young children, pregnant women, and new mothers.
• Health & Awareness Camps: The company conducts mega health camps and awareness camps across Jharsuguda with the assistance of medical personnel from government hospitals, raising awareness &providing free-of-cost, quality healthcare. Recently, the company conducted week-long campaigns on breastfeeding practices and water-borne diseases that frequently occur during monsoon season.
• Sanitation Drives: To promote health and hygiene in the community, the company regularly organises cleanliness & sanitation drives where general health &hygiene practicesare promoted. Moreover, employee volunteers work with community members to clean and disinfect areas of the town.

Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.29 million tonnes in FY23. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 2nd in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) 2022 world rankings for aluminium industry, a reflection of its sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.