Oil India, Piramal Swasthya partner to launch SPARSHA mobile medical vans for under-served areas of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh

The concept is to provide primary healthcare services to inaccessible and vulnerable population of remote OIL operating areas

Oil India (OIL) and Piramal Swasthya partnered to launch SPARSHA mobile medical units in under-served areas of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Rameshwar Teli, Union Minister of State, Food Processing Industries, Govt of India along with Rituparna Baruah, MLA, Lahoal in the presence of RK Talukdar, ED (HR&A), OIL India, Hardeep Singh Bambrah – Head, Assam & North East Operations, Piramal Swasthya and Pallav Jha, DC, Dibrugarh, launched seven mobile medical vans in Dibrugarh.

Piramal Swasthya Management and Research Institute (PSMRI) was selected by Oil India as the implementing partner for this project in the OIL operational areas of Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Charaideo districts in Assam and Changlang district in Arunachal Pradesh. The project consists of seven mobile medical units, each having a capacity of two doctors, two nurses, and two pharmacists which will conduct a total of 168 camps on a monthly basis by providing free health check ups, lab tests and medicines to the targeted and vulnerable population of these districts.

The concept is to basically provide primary healthcare services to the inaccessible and vulnerable population of the remote OIL operating areas. This is an end to end solution, thereby cutting the distance, cost and time of the beneficiaries by providing the health service right at their door steps.

The mobile dispensary primarily extends the following services:

• Clinically diagnosing and treating select NCDs and chronic diseases and common diseases /ailments.
• Conduct health check ups, lab tests and dispensing medicines to beneficiaries as deemed necessary via valid prescriptions provided by competent medical officers (doctors).
• Provide awareness on lifestyle diseases and special flood relief camps.

During the launch Teli said, “I appreciate the efforts being taken up by Oil India Limited through their CSR initiatives in providing healthcare services in their OIL operational areas of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Considering the skewed doctors availability in rural and tea garden areas, the SPARSHA project will immensely benefit its covered population to a great extent. I also acknowledge the contributions and experience of Piramal Swasthya in running Govt and CSR projects across India including 104 services in Assam. If time permits I will personally visit the camps to have a look at the activities and will also inform the community members through the village and panchayat members to avail the SPARSHA services.”

Adding on to this, Talukdar stated, “Oil India Limited under our corporate social responsibility initiative is extending mobile dispensary services in the remotest parts of its operational areas of Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Charaideo districts of Assam and Changlang district of Arunchal Pradesh where medical services are not readily accessible. For implementing OIL Sparsha mobile dispensary project for the next four years, we have collaborated with Piramal Swasthya to contribute towards the healthcare sector of our region.”

Commenting on the partnership Vishal Phanse, CEO, Piramal Swasthya said “India has embarked on the journey towards ensuring universal health coverage and Piramal Swasthya is contributing with its experience and expertise of building innovative solutions that impact at scale. Our partnerships with corporates, thought leaders across public and private sectors, innovators and not for profits in the domain have helped us in moving towards our vision of transforming health ecosystems. OIL India Ltd has been a proactive partner and expanding our services across Assam and Arunachal Pradesh would certainly help in moving the health indicators of the states significantly.”

Each of the seven vans would conduct 24 service camps in a month and the mobilisation of beneficiaries is facilitated by engaging two field volunteers in each location of service. Given the problems of availability, accessibility and affordability of primary health services in the remote and unreached areas of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by the rural population, the ‘Sparsha’ Mobile Healthcare Service at the beneficiaries’ doorsteps comes as a boon for the needy patients of the operational areas of Oil India.