For many communities in Odisha’s remote villages, access to basic healthcare remains a challenge, often leading to delayed treatment and reliance on distant facilities. Bridging this gap, Vedanta Aluminium’s Coal Mines has strengthened last-mile healthcare access through its Mobile Health Unit (MHU) programme, reaching more than 50,000 beneficiaries, including over 4,000 children, across 16 villages in Sundargarh and Jharsuguda districts.
Over the past three years, the initiative has facilitated more than 3500 free health camps and over 1100 health awareness sessions, delivering consultations, screenings, blood sugar testing, diagnostic support, and essential medicines to local communities, along with education on key health issues such as anaemia prevention, maternal and child health, hygiene, deworming, tobacco cessation, malaria control, heatstroke prevention, and lifestyle-related diseases.
A strong emphasis is placed on early diagnosis and continuity of care. The mobile health units regularly monitor chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, while also treating common ailments including anaemia, gastric disorders, respiratory infections, fungal infections, joint pain, and skin diseases. Preventive outreach and follow-up care have become central to improving long-term community health outcomes.
The initiative spans several remote communities, covering 5 villages in Jharsuguda and 10 in Sundargarh. Regular outreach in these areas is helping ensure consistent access to primary healthcare services for local communities.
Talking about the initiative, Amares Kumar, CEO – Vedanta Aluminium’s Coal Mines, said, “Our Mobile Health Unit programme focuses on improving access to primary healthcare in the communities around us. Now, we seemore people coming forward for timely consultations and follow-up care, reflecting the growing need for such services in these regions.”
Dr. Indraprakash Prajapati, Mobile Health Unit team,said, “One of the biggest challenges in remote villages is that people often wait until an illness becomes severe before seeking medical attention. With the support of the Mobile Health Unit, we identify health concerns early, provide timely treatment, and ensure regular follow-up for patients with chronic conditions. This initiative by Vedanta Aluminium Coal Mines, is making healthcare more accessible to communities that need it the most.”
Sorojini Thakur, a resident of Kudaloi village, shared her experience, ” The Mobile Health Unit has made a real difference by bringing doctors and essential medicines to our doorstep on a regular basis. People no longer have totravel long distances for basic medical care, and timelytreatment has become much more accessible.”
Vedanta Aluminium’s Coal Mines in Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts has reached over 2 lakh people across 26 villages through its community development initiatives.
Vedanta Aluminium continues to support development across Odisha through focused interventions in healthcare, education, livelihoods, infrastructure, and social development, working closely with local stakeholders to create long-term impact. These efforts reflect the company’s commitment to inclusive growth and improving lives at the grassroots level.
