BALCO Concludes Two-Month Celebration of Maternal and Child Health Initiatives

• Successful Efforts Focus on Breastfeeding, Nutrition, and Community Well-being

TFP Bureau, Korba, Oct 04, 2023:  Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s renowned aluminum producer and a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium, has successfully wrapped up a two-month-long celebration of maternal and child health initiatives as part of its flagship program, Project Arogya on Tuesday. This extensive celebration included various community awareness activities aligned with Poshan Maah (Nutrition Month) and Breastfeeding Week, all aimed at promoting maternal and child well-being within the company’s neighboring communities.

Conducted in collaboration with the District Health Department and several community partners, this celebration actively promoted healthy nutritional practices with a particular focus on breastfeeding, nutrition, and overall personal well-being. It had a significant impact on over 1000 women across 32 Anganwadi centers within the community.

Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO, & Director of BALCO, highlighted the substantial impact of BALCO’s health initiatives under Project Arogya. He expressed, “BALCO’s community development efforts envision a brighter, healthier future for all. Our goal is to create an environment where every child can thrive, and every mother receives the care she deserves. As we recommit to a focus on Maternal and Child Health during Breastfeeding Week and Poshan Maah, BALCO reaffirms its dedication to nurturing healthier and happier communities through consistent and transformative efforts.”

Shrimati Jaya Rathiya, Sarpanch of Bela village in Korba, commended BALCO’s initiatives. She said, “The awareness sessions organized by BALCO on anemia and cancer were truly enlightening. In addition, the breastfeeding support sessions have been instrumental in normalizing conversations around women’s health. These interventions are set to make a profoundly positive impact on maternal and child health in our community.”

Aligned with Poshan Maah, an initiative launched by the Government of India, BALCO observed a dedicated Nutrition Month in September. This initiative aimed to address community healthcare, raise awareness about the importance of nutrition, and promote healthy nutritional practices, especially among pregnant and lactating women and mothers of malnourished children. The month included various activities:

Awareness Sessions on Anemia: These sessions featured awareness camps and expert-led sessions on nutrition and anemia.

PD Hearth Sessions and THR Training Programs: This included Positive Deviance/Hearth (PDH) sessions, an effective program for rehabilitating malnourished children, and training on Take-Home Rations (THR) to improve nutrition levels among mothers and children.

Recipe Competitions: Interactive discussions, Q&A sessions, and a recipe-making competition using THR.

Godh Bharayi: Traditional Indian Baby showers for pregnant women with expert advice on enhancing their nutrition intake.

Distribution of Poshan Badi Kits:  Encouraging the development of Nutrition gardens by distributing Poshan Badi kits containing fruit and vegetable seeds and saplings.

Nutrition for Men:Special awareness talks emphasizing the nutritional needs of men.

Under Project Arogya, BALCO also observed ‘Breastfeeding Week’ with the theme ‘Let’s make breastfeeding and work, work.’ The campaign underscored the significance of breastfeeding, especially for women engaged in agricultural and household activities. It featured:

Awareness Sessions on Cancer Prevention: Expert health professionals conducted informative health talks on breast cancer awareness, early detection, risk factors, self-examination techniques, and proactive breast health practices.

Health Check-up Camps: Organized in partnership with the District Health Department, offering free diagnostic tests for diabetes, blood pressure, and hemoglobin.

Project Arogya, a comprehensive health initiative by BALCO, provides quality primary healthcare services with a focus on maternal and child health. The project has reached over 30,000 individuals through curative and preventive healthcare services. In FY23, it benefited over 3000 mothers and 430 malnourished children. The project has also trained over 600 mothers on recipes from Take Home Ration (THR) and established 150 Nutrition gardens at Anganwadi centers and households of pregnant and lactating mothers and malnourished children.