INDIACSR News Network
LANJIGARH: The Govt. of India’s National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has endevoured to fight the Sickle Cell Anemia disease in the country; however, the agency has focused to fight the disease especially in Western Odisha.
The strategic initiative to give special focus to Western Odisha is well accepted as according to reports, as per the State Health Department – Odisha has more than 5 lakh of population affected by the Sickle Cell disease, of which nearly 80 per cent of such people could be found in 13 western Orissa districts.
The V. S. S. Medical College, Burla which has a Sickle Cell Clinic, sponsored by NHRM, is taking all the initiative to fight the disease in the region. Taking the noble cause to the next level, recently, on March 15, 2013, Vedanta Hospital at Lanjigarh in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, partnered with V. S. S. Medical College and NRHM to conduct a camp for Sickle Cell Screening Camp.
Total 197 numbers of people came for the screening from 47 nearby villages of Lanjigarh area like Basantpada, Jagannathpur, Jodabandh, Biswanathpur, Balabhadrapur etc. Vedanta Hospital became the first such centre in Kalahandi where V. S. S. Medical College, Burla through NRHM conducted the camp though Bhawanipatna will be an NRHM centre in the district soon.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Mukesh Kumar, President & COO – Vedanta Aluminium Limited, Lanjigarh, said, “A lot of people are affected by Sickle Cell Anemia in Lanjigarh area. This screening camp would help them in getting the treatment free through NRHM.”
Prior to the camp, the corporate social Responsibility (CSR) team of Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), Lanjigarh conducted a survey and made the people aware about the camp so that more people could come for screening.
“After the blood testing, the patients will be sent to V. S. S. Medical College, Burla where they will get free treatment and medicines funded by NRHM,” informed Dr. K Das of V. S. S. Medical College, Burla.
