STL, a leading optical and digital solutions company, on this World Health Day, shared the grassroots impact through its comprehensive healthcare program. The company has implemented a Mobile Telehealth and social behaviour change program in more than 1200 villages across Aurangabad, Nandurbar, Gadchiroli and other districts in Maharashtra. STL runs its flagship glass,optical fibre and cable facilities in Aurangabad. The company makes extensive efforts towards ensuring the welfare of the communities it operates in, especially rural ones. STL runs various social programs for education, women empowerment, and healthcare for the underserved in the region.
People living in these rural communities do not get access to quality healthcare services owing to high medical expenses. In the tribal areas of Nandurbar and Gadchiroli, there is a lack of healthcare awareness, and the medical facilities are far from their reach. Through a hybrid healthcare program, STL ensures that they get accessible healthcare services entirely free of cost.
The program integrates a 24x7 teleconsultation, video consultation and diagnosis and supplements it with physical onsite check-ups, on-call doctors, social behaviour change and awareness efforts and regular specialist health camps for primary ailments. It also maintains digital health records of all the patients so that health related information is available instantly and securely for future consultation. This delivers scalable last-mile health outcomes for underserved communities. STL has also tied up with nearby hospitals where patients can avail of advanced treatments.
In the span of over 2 years, the program has made quality healthcare accessible for over 2 mn rural citizens in the region.
One of the beneficiaries of STL’s healthcare program, the parents of Omkar Arun, a 6-year-old boy living in Gadchiroli, said: “Omkar accidentally ended up with the burn injury over his right shoulder which went untreated because of lack of resources. We work on a farm and barely earn to feed the family of 5. This impacted Omkar's health. STL’s program enabled us to seek appropriate medical guidance with a specialist, who effectively treated the case of scald (hot burn). It gives us great happiness to see our child’s recovery. STL’s efforts in rural digital healthcare are creating a lot of value for us and our fellow citizens in Gadchiroli.”
Speaking about this program, Akanksha Sharma, Global ESG head, STL, said: “STL has always been at the forefront to enable societal good through the power of digital. Through this program, we aim to equip rural citizens with awareness and anywhere, anytime access to a qualified healthcare professional and service.”
