Guwahati Refinery intensifies health programmes
Guwahati   06-Apr-2010

The Medical department of IOCL Guwahati Refinery has initiated several programmes aiming at preservation of health and prevention of diseases among the employees of IOCL and their dependants, and also the population residing in greater Guwahati and the surrounding villages. Though this initiative has been there since the inception of the Guwahati Refinery Hospital, it has been intensified in the last five years, a press release stated.

The health check-up camps are being organised twice a year in the same place in order to detect any disease arising out of alleged pollution caused by the refinery operations. Health camps are also being organised at far away villages, 'specially covering people of the weaker sections of the society. Health camps are also held in flood-affected areas in different districts of the State. In addition to examination of the people by doctors of different specialities, free distribution of medicines and instant blood sugar estimation are done in the camps. Health education with audio-visual means is also now included in each health camp. Health education programmes have been held in different schools and public institutions in the last five years. Prevention and first aid in burns, road safety, health and hygiene, lifestyle management and Protection of environment are some of the topics discussed in the health education programme with the help of audio-visual aids. Workshops on disaster management, rescue and first aid to the injured are also being organised every year for the senior school students of the locality.

The health education programme has been further boosted by introducing monthly preventive health theme since 2008. The programme, primarily meant for the employees and dependants of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited, includes awareness programmes, preventive health check-up, installation of hoardings and posters on health topics and shop floor visit.

A fortnightly, Health Bulletin and booklets on different health topics have also been published and distributed among all participants.

These efforts have definitely improved awareness levels on preservation of health among the people in general and the employees in particular.

From June 2005 to January 2010, IOCL, Guwahati Refinery organised 47-health check-up camps and gave free medical help to 20,881 people. Free medicines were distributed to all of them. Similarly, 47 health education programmes were organised in various schools and institutions and 6,760 students participated in them.

Special emphasis is being given in prevention of burn injuries by lecture-demonstration to the school children and also members of the public through different NGOs like Lions Club. Intensive burn prevention campaigns are being organised before Diwali in the last five years by school education, display of banners and hoardings, greeting cards, press meets and press releases, publication of articles in newspapers and talks on the television, the release added.