Bhubaneswar (Odisha Tazanews) :- For families living in remote villages, access to timely and quality healthcare often remains a challenge. Long travel distances, limited transportation and the absence of nearby specialist services can delay critical medical care, especially for expectant mothers, children and patients requiring urgent attention.
At Vedanta Aluminium, healthcare and community wellbeing have long been central to its development efforts. Building on its experience of creating one of the region’s most trusted healthcare ecosystems in Lanjigarh, the company is expanding its community healthcare outreach across the Sijimali and Kodigamali Bauxite Mines in Rayagada and Kalahandi through a holistic approach that integrates primary care, emergency response, specialist consultations and preventive healthcare initiatives.
Between April and July 2026, Vedanta’s Mobile Health Units (MHUs) brought healthcare directly to the doorsteps of remote communities through 225 health camps across Rayagada and Kalahandi. In Rayagada, 85 MHU camps reached 2,558 beneficiaries, while 140 camps in Kalahandi benefitted 2,936 people across several underserved villages.
Together, these outreach efforts delivered medical consultations, basic diagnostics and essential medicines to 5,494 patients, significantly improving access to healthcare for rural families. Complementing these outreach services are Vedanta-supported Primary Health Centres (PHCs), which provide round-the-clock healthcare closer to home.
At PHC Sunger in Rayagada, a total of 2,563 patients availed healthcare services between May and July 2026. The centre also facilitated 60 institutional deliveries, referred patients requiring specialised treatment to higher healthcare facilities, and maintained zero newborn deaths, underscoring its role in strengthening maternal and child healthcare in the region.
Vedanta has further strengthened emergency healthcare through dedicated ambulance services. Between May and July 2026, the ambulance service was utilised 95 times in Kasipur Block, Rayagada, while 51 emergency trips were recorded in Thuamul Rampur Block, Kalahandi, helping ensure timely transportation for pregnant women, accident victims and patients requiring urgent medical attention.
The company has also focused on bringing specialist care closer to rural communities. Multi-specialty health camps organised in Kasipur Block (Sunger PHC) and Melghara connected 358 patients with specialist doctors, including paediatricians and other specialists, enabling residents to access expert consultations and treatment without travelling long distances.
The company also provides free medicines through its healthcare outreach programmes, ensuring that patients from remote and underserved communities can access essential treatment without financial burden.
Beyond treatment, Vedanta Aluminium places strong emphasis on preventive healthcare and health awareness.
Malaria and dengue awareness campaigns conducted across villages including Sunger, Ladakhaman, Dumerpadar, Mahajal, Taramundi and Melghara reached 220 community members and students across Rayagada and Kalahandi, educating them on disease prevention, early detection and health-seeking behaviours.
The focus on wellbeing begins early in life. As part of breastfeeding awareness initiatives conducted at PHC Sunger and Nakrundi, a total of 209 mothers and caregivers participated in sessions on maternal nutrition, exclusive breastfeeding and infant health. At Nand Ghar, Nakrundi, the programme engaged 74 lactating mothers and their children from six villages, while similar awareness sessions at PHC Sunger brought together mothers,
ASHA workers and Anganwadi workers to promote infant health and nutrition. Supported by frontline healthcare workers, these programmes helped strengthen grassroots awareness on maternal and child health across multiple villages. Vedanta also supported the Pulse Polio Programme at PHC Sunger, benefiting 90 children and reinforcing efforts towards preventive healthcare and child wellbeing in the region.
Together, these initiatives have touched the lives of more than 9,300 beneficiaries across Rayagada and Kalahandi through a combination of mobile healthcare services, PHCs, ambulance support, specialist consultations and community awareness programmes. While the upcoming Vedanta Hospital in
Rayagada will further strengthen healthcare infrastructure in the region, the impact is already visible through grassroots interventions that are improving healthcare access and outcomes for thousands of people. Through these efforts, Vedanta Aluminium continues to bring quality healthcare closer to communities and contribute to healthier, stronger rural regions.
