CSR News – Ingersoll Rand Partners with Smile Foundation
Ingersoll Rand India, as part of its community relations initiative, has joined hands with Smile Foundation to facilitate healthcare services for economically disadvantaged people in Naroda and neighbouring areas in Ahmedabad.
Ingersoll Rand is supporting the ‘Smile on Wheels’ initiative that targets mobile healthcare vans to deliver professional healthcare services at the doorsteps of 4 lakh urban slum dwellers in identified communities.
The project was flagged off at the manufacturing facility of the company at Naroda in Ahmedabad in the presence of senior leadership from both organizations. As part of the project, Ingersoll Rand will support fully-equipped medical vans to deliver healthcare facilities such as regular health check-ups, basic pathological tests and doctor consultation.
As part of the mandate, the doctors and paramedics will also hold awareness sessions among local population to sensitize them on health and hygiene issues. These vans will cater to 12000-15000 patients annually.
Commenting on the initiative, Amar Kaul, Chairman & Managing Director, Ingersoll Rand India Ltd. says, “Healthcare infrastructure in India and particularly the availability of stable healthcare services to underprivileged sections needs a strong focus. We believe that only healthy societies stand a winning chance to earn education, livelihood and prosperity and participate in our country’s growth. This partnership with Smile Foundation helps us in that direction and furthers our endeavour of bringing a positive impact in the lives of communities around us.”
Said Santanu Mishra, Executive Trustee and Co-Founder, Smile Foundation, “We already have 40 fully functional medical vans catering to the health care needs of poor communities in various states of India and hope to add at least 40 more in the coming two years.”
The medical vans will proceed towards identified slum communities of Ahmedabad city, including Naroda GIDC area, Vatva GIDC area, Kalupur Railway Crossing bridge, Asarva Chakla, Chamnpura 1, Chamanpura 2, Girdhar Nagar. Community outreach is an important aspect of this initiative whereby medical staff in the vans will hold awareness sessions on lifestyle diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, importance of nutrition and sanitation among the local population.
