Indus Valley Times

By Dr Rama Chandra Behera

Bhubaneswar,June 30 : Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, has announced the successful completion of Phase I of the Ni-kshay Mitra program in Jharsuguda. As part of this initiative, aimed at supporting the Government of India’s ambitious ‘TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan’ (TB-Free India Campaign), the company has been supportingnearly 550 tuberculosis patientsacross Jharsuguda and Kalahandi districtsin Odisha since last year.Aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision for a TB-free India, the company has actively collaborated with the district administrations in Jharsuguda and Kalahandi to maximize community awareness of tuberculosis (TB) and extend support to those in need of specialized care.

The Ni-kshay Mitra programaims to eliminate stigmas associated with thedisease, encouraging citizens to symbolically adopt tuberculosis patients and provide them with the crucial support needed for their recovery, including proper nutrition and guidance. Vedanta Aluminium’s support towards the Ni-kshay Mitra program has been instrumental in enabling enhanced healthcare access and providing much-needed assistance to several tuberculosis patients in Jharsuguda and Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district. By focusing on quality nutrition and counselling, the program has played a vital role in improving the lives of the patients.Additionally, the company’s Mobile Health Units (MHUs), which are fully-equipped vans that visit remote areas in the state to provide primary healthcare free-of-charge, have also been involved in screening and encouraging community members showing symptoms of TB toundergo further tests at government facilities.

Sharing Vedanta Aluminium’s health interventions for the community,Mr. Sunil Gupta, CEO-VedantaLimited,Jharsuguda, said, “The health and well-being of our community is a top priority for Vedanta Aluminium. In response to the Prime Minister’s call for a ‘TB Mukt Bharat’, we are honoured to join forces with the Jharsuguda District Administration to raise awareness about tuberculosis. Our initiatives in this regard augment the comprehensive health and wellbeing programs that we undertake for community members.” Adding his views, Mr. GG Pal, Dy. CEO – Alumina Business, Vedanta Limited, said,“Tuberculosis is a debilitating disease that can be overcome through timely interventions, and we are proud to support the Ni-kshay Mitra program to maximise community awareness on the disease in Lanjigarh. By ensuring good health within our neighbouring communities, we also unlock added opportunities for their growth and progress.”

Speaking on the partnership with Vedanta Aluminium, Dr. Dolamani Patel, Chief District Medical Officer and Public Health Officer of Jharsuguda, said, “Our collaboration with Vedanta aims to raise awareness among individuals on tuberculosis, its prevention, and available treatments. Further, by providing necessary support to the needy, this campaign is significantly contributing towards eradicating TB from our society. Through our joint efforts, we aim to create a healthier and stronger nation.”

Vedanta Aluminium provides a wide spectrum of basic and specialized health services in and around its areas of operations, including:

• Mobile Health Units: The company operates Mobile Health Units in its areas of operation, providing basic doorstep healthcare services, as per a pre-determined schedule, to more than 54,000 people annually in remote villages across Jharsuguda and over 22,000 patients across 65 villages in Kalahandi district.

• Nand Ghars: Through its Nand Ghars, which are modernized anganwadis that act as community centres of women & child development, Vedanta Aluminium provides quality healthcare and proper nutrition to young children, pregnant women, and new mothers.

• Health camps: The company regularly conducts mega health camps in Jharsuguda and Lanjigarh with the assistance of medical personnel from government hospitals, providing free-of-cost, quality healthcare in remote parts of Odisha. The health camp initiative in Lanjigarh has had more than 4000 unique beneficiaries in FY23 alone.

• Sanitation drives: To promote health and hygiene in the community, the company also organises cleanliness & sanitation drives where hygiene practices like handwashing are promoted. Moreover, employee volunteers work with community members to clean and disinfect drains & streets to help prevent infectious diseases.

• Vedanta Hospital, Lanjigarh: The Vedanta Hospital at Lanjigarh provides free-of-cost medical facilities to over 60,000 people from Kalahandi and adjoining districts annually.

• Cataract Surgeries: Our operations at Lanjigarh provide cataract surgeries to those in need, helping over 220 people attain improved vision in FY23