Vedanta steps up efforts to provide healthcare in Rajasthan

Udaipur : With a strong commitment tosupport the health requirements of communities in Rajasthan, Vedanta Group companies, Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) and Cairn Oil & Gas, have collectively rolled outseveral initiatives in the field of health. These initiatives are focused on communities with limited or no access to primary healthcare. 

“I would like to commend the efforts of Hindustan Zinc for donating the RTPCR Testing lab that we run today. The lab plays an invaluable role in the COVID testing we do. If more contributors like HZL step up in the hour of need, the general public will be further able to receive better health facilities. I would like to thank Hindustan Zinc for proactively coming forward and working for the betterment of the society and community,” said Dr Shalabh Sharma, Principal, Bhilwara Govt. Medical College.

“Cairn has done commendable work during COVID-19 (highly advanced ambulance, protection kit, N95 mask, cotton mask, Philips B-PEP ventilators, hand sanitizer, sodium hypo-chloride, COVID testing VTM kits). High quality and pre-decided standards are set by the company, which is proving to be essential in our war with COVID-19. I hope they continue with their efforts and that the general public can take full advantage of the services,” said Dr BL Mansuriya, Principal Medical Officer, Barmer.

Theefforts under the aegis of Vedanta in Rajasthan are:

1. State-of-the-art facilities and specialists

HZL has increased access to health facilities by supporting to create state-of-art infrastructure at Heart Hospital, Udaipur to provide affordable health care facilities to heart patients and free treatment to BPL patients. The hospital now has 150 beds, a unit for cardiology along with upgraded facilities in ICU, Cardiology Department and Cardiology Surgery Department. HZL also has its company run hospitals operating in different locations where Primary health care services are provided to employees, their families and nearby community members.  In the FY 2020-21, the beneficiary count is approximately1.3 lakh till date.

To improve medical facilities at the district hospital of Barmer, Cairn initiated two major interventions – a campaign, ‘Green Barmer, Clean Barmer’ to create awareness on health and hygiene; and strengthening the health services offered at government district hospital by providing three medical specialists. The specialists include a female gynaecologist, an ENT specialist, and a general surgeon. So far, more than 45,500 OPDs and 3,246 surgeries & institutional deliveries have been done by Cairn supported doctors in the district hospital.

• Smile on wheels

HZL has partnered with Smile Foundation to support the healthcare of people in the villages at Zawar Mines, Agucha Mines and ChanderiyaSmelter in Rajasthan through the Smile on Wheels programme. The Mobile Health Van is equipped with a team of qualified doctors, nurses, lab technicians, pharmacists, drivers and a group of volunteers. HZL runs four MHVs, which covers 83 villages across three locations in Rajasthan. Primary healthcare has been availed for a total of more than 30640 times by beneficiaries through OPD services have been availed from these MHVs. Awareness sessions are conducted on importance of balanced diet, respiratory system covering, Global Hand Wash Day and World Aids Day. Point-of-care tests mainly for Random Blood Sugar Test and Hemoglobin test have also been conducted for 1341 people.

• Mobile Health Vans (MHVs)

Mobile Health Vans are aimed at providing affordable, accessible, reliable and quality preventive healthcare services to the people at their doorstep. MHVs by Cairn have delivered services across 149 villages in Rajasthan. Over the last one year, more than 1,14,654 community members have benefited from the OPD services by these MHVs. Regular multi-specialty health camps are also conducted, where services of a gynaecologist, an orthopaedic, a paediatrician, an ENT specialist, a dentist, and a general practitioner are provided, benefitting over 1,500 people.

• Fighting the pandemic

HZL has provided over 1 lac dry rations and 1.5 lac ready-to-eat meal packets. 180 villages have been sanitised at regular intervals. 144 villages were covered with OPD services, maintaining COVID guidelines. 336 OPD sessions were conducted during this period. Around 1 lac PPE kits were given to district administration. HZL also engaged its business partners to come in the fore-front and help by providing relief packets.  An initiative ApniRasoi’ was started by Sakhi women, where cooked meals were prepared by the SHGs and provided to migrant labourers and needy families. This initiative was done in partnership with the Azim Premji Foundation. The Sakhi women and ladies club women have also volunteered to stitch cloth masks during the pandemic. In addition, an RT-PCR machine for conducting COVID tests was provided by HZL to Medical College of Bhilwara.

Cairn Oil & Gas stands by the communities and has mobilised all its on-ground efforts to ensure thatthe nation wins its battle against COVID-19. Three quarantine centres have been set up, along with distribution of 59,500 masks, 1,550 PPE suits, 31,000 sanitizers, 12,000 surgical gloves, 1,300 N95 masks to the district hospitals. 10 portable lab kits were also given for diagnosing the impact of COVID-19 on critical patients. Regular fumigation of the district hospital, labour colonies &marketplaces has also been going on. Recently, Cairn also started providing vaccination to its employees, in collaboration with the District Hospital.

• Diverse community welfare initiatives
• In order to improve the health condition of children and add nutritional value to their food, the concept of kitchen garden has been established in Anganwadis and Nandghars.
• A van was provided by HZL to District Chief Medical Health Office, Udaipur in order to help in distributing vaccination to different areas of Udaipur after the Govt announced and launched the COVID -19 vaccination campaign in the district.
• With an aim to transform public health systems and achieve greater adoption of safe, timely, and effective practices in handling pregnancy and new-born complications, Cairn, in partnership with National Health Mission and Department of Medical, Health, and Family Welfare Rajasthan, has initiated an intervention to operationalize all dysfunctional First Referral Units (FRUs) in Barmer district of Rajasthan. In the financial year 2019-2020, close to 8,586 treatments were conducted by two FRUs supported by Cairn.

• HZL sets up India’s first Underground First Aid and Ambulance centre

HZL’s Rampura Agucha Mine has developed India’s first underground First Aid & Ambulance centre. The underground first aid station and ambulance centre is equipped with a fresh airbase dedicatedly for underground mine, where a rescue team along with a medical practitioner has been appointed under charge of a qualified Medical Professional & Rescue Head.This first-of-its-kind below the ground rescue and aid system is functional 24 hours at the underground station along with its dedicated rescue and paramedical staff. The underground mine station also has a dedicated emergency vehicle, equipped with AED, ECG and Reviving Apparatus. The facility is also installed with a resting Air-Conditioned facility armed with portable Oxygen Cylinders & Saline bottles, BP Monitoring Instrument, Dehydration measuring instrument & Pulse oximeter which can be used in case of any emergencies.

• Cairn Pink City Half Marathon, Jaipur, Rajasthan

The 5th edition of Cairn Pink City Virtual Half Marathon (CPCHM) was aimed at spreading awareness about COVID-19. It was a record-breaking virtual marathon, which saw registration of more than 40,195 participants from across 23 countries. The week-long event was launched on 13th December virtually By Ms Priya Agarwal, Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Ltd., supporting the importance of using face masks, in alignment with the Government of Rajasthan’s campaign – ‘No Mask, No Entry’ and ‘Mask Hi Vaccine Hai’. CPCHM had 4 categories – 2km, 5km 10km and 21km, and saw participation of government administrations, police departments, BSF & Armed forces, NCC cadets, running groups, corporates, youth clubs, Nehru Yuva Mandalas, SHGs, farmers clubs and students. Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Shri Ashok Gehlot also expressed his support towards the initiative.