Bhubaneswar(Kalinga Voice) : Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, observed World Health Day at its alumina refinery at Lanjigarh, and aluminium & power operations at Jharsuguda, in Odisha on 7th April 2021.
Observing this day with the theme ‘Building a fairer, healthier world’, the alumina refinery unit organized a multi-specialty free health camp at Vedanta Hospital, Lanjigarh to reach the unreached. In collaboration with the District Health Department – Kalahandi and Punaruthan Voluntary Organization (PVO), around500 villagers from across 25 villages in Kalahandi availed medical services on a single day.The program was inaugurated by Mr. Rahul Sharma, Dy. CEO-Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd., in presence of Mr. G.G. Pal, Dy. CEO-Alumina Business and other dignitaries. Medical experts in the fields of general medicine, paediatrics, orthopedic, gynecology and dental care were present throughout the day to provide treatment and consultations to the local people.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Rahul Sharma, Dy. CEO – Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd., said, “The health and wellbeing of our host communities are of great importance to us, and we have always strived to improve the quality of life in our periphery in a sustained and inclusive manner. Our state-of-the-art Vedanta Hospital at Lanjigarh provides critical healthcare facilities to the otherwise underserved local community. Additionally, we are running several community healthcare programmes in the regions where we operate, bringing quality healthcare services to the doorsteps of thousands of people in rural hinterlands.”
Acknowledging Vedanta’s efforts, Mr. Kamalakant Barik, Chairman-Punaruthan Voluntary Organization, Vedanta’s healthcare partner in Lanjigarh, said, “Vedanta has always been in the forefront in ensuring the health and wellbeing of the members of the community residing in its periphery. We are proud to be a partner in this effort of Vedanta, which serves the poor people with utmost sincerity. The free health camp, besides the other regular healthcare and sensitization programs are being an instrument of change in the quality of life of the people over the years.”
As part of its efforts towards ensuring the health and wellbeing of the communities, recently, the company organized awareness programs on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day in both its Lanjigarh and Jharsuguda locations. In Jharsuguda, a week-long sensitization program was conducted in association with Wockhardt Foundation, the health partner of the aluminium and power unit in Odisha. The company also organized knowledge-sharing and sensitization sessions covering 50 Nand Ghars (anganwadis modernized by Vedanta) of Kalahandi and Rayagada districts. In 10 Nand Ghar, (5 in Kalahandi and 5 in Rayagada) awareness sessions on precautionary measures along with vital information were conducted in strict adherence to COVID guidelines. Total 168 members were sensitized in 10 centres. The members and beneficiaries of the remaining 40 Nand Ghars (20 in Kalahandi and 20 in Rayagada) 65 members participated virtually.
Vedanta gives topmost priority towards the health and wellbeing of the people residing in the vicinity of its operating units in Odisha and taken up several initiatives.
- The Aarogya program being run by the alumina refinery unit in Lanjigarh is a commitment to improve the health status of less-privileged community of the Kalahandi region.
- The 20-beded state-of-the-art Vedanta Hospital in Lanjigarh, well equipped with doctors, physiotherapist and visiting specialists, along with 24X7 ambulance service, caters to over 200 patients every day.
- The Hospital has recently been identified as the first Private COVID Vaccination Centre (PCVC) in Kalahandi by the district healthcare authorities.
- The company has significantly aided in the fight against COVID-19, through augmentation of healthcare facilities and rolling out many welfare measures within and beyond the plants in both Kalahandi and Jharsuguda, in association with district administrations of both the regions.
- Recently, Vedanta has collaborated with SRL Diagnostics and commenced the of construction of Vedanta Pathology Labs & Diagnostic Centre at Jharsuguda and Laikera blocks catering to nearly 5 lakh citizens of Jharsuguda and its nearby region, offering more than 500 medical test facilities.
- Through its Mobile Health Units, Vedanta is providingdoorstep healthcare services to over 60000 people in more than 70 villages in Odisha.
- The community awareness teamsof Vedanta address the preventive aspects of healthcare by sensitizing the community through various health and awareness program such as malaria, dengue,diarrhea and various viral diseases, nutrition for child development and pregnant women.
- Vedanta is also supporting a hospital in the remote area of Bankakunduru – Maa Santoshi Jankalyan Hospital, catering to about 27000 people in 200 villages of the region.
Vedanta’s social interventions in the domains of sustainable livelihood, women empowerment, quality education, health, water and sanitation, bio-investment and community infrastructure reach out to over 140 villages in Lanjigarh and nearby areas, benefiting about 2 lakh people in a year. It empowers more than 7000 women from over 600 self-help groups (SHGs), provides healthcare services to about 60,000 people annually, gives educational support to more than 9000 students, has planted more than 6.8 lakh trees in the community, and built 1000 plus infrastructural projects at community level.
Vedanta Aluminium & Power, a part of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, producing almost half of India’s aluminium or 1.9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in FY20, and is also one of the largest private power producers in the country. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class smelters, power plants and alumina refinery spread across India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
