Aster DM Healthcare, one of the largest private, integrated healthcare service providers across the GCC and emerging healthcare player in India, celebrated its 33rd Foundation Day yesterday. To mark this occasion, the organization has announced the launch of internal and external initiatives through its global CSR programme, Aster Volunteers which includes addition of 5 new Aster Volunteers Mobile Medical Services in 3 countries and an internal ‘Green Choices’ campaign within the group.
Aster Volunteers Mobile Medical Services was launched in 2012 as a part of the group’s commitment to give back to the community to provide quality healthcare services to people living in areas where medical facilities are inadequate or inaccessible. Currently, the 7 Aster Volunteers Mobile Medical Services have their footprints in the places like Delhi, Orissa, Jamshedpur, Kozhikode and Nilambur in India, along with UAE and Philippines. So far, these services have benefitted more than 400,000 people.
On its 33rd Foundation Day, the group has introduced an additional of 5 new Aster Volunteers Mobile Medical Services in Ethiopia, Oman and India. The mobile medical service introduced in Ethiopia will be in association with the Ministry of Health in Ethiopia & St. Paul Hospital & Millennium College. The remaining units will be rolled out soon in Oman, Kochi, Wayanad and Bengaluru in India which will be supported by existing medical units of Aster DM Healthcare in these regions. In Bengaluru, the mobile clinic will be introduced in association with Ashok Leyland.
All Aster Volunteers Mobile Medical Service vehicles will be equipped with telemedicine and tele-consultation facilities, and accompanied by experienced doctors, nurses and a driver who will conduct regular medical camps in their respective regions on an ongoing basis.
Commemorating this occasion, a ceremony was held yesterday at the Aster Hospital premises in Al Qusais, Dubai where the Aster Volunteers Mobile Medical Services vehicle for Ethiopia was flagged-off by Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare and H.E. Jerusalem Amdemariam Tadesse, Honorable Consul General, Consulate General of F.D.R. of Ethiopia, in the presence of Dr. Hanan Obaid, Director for the Health Policies and Standards, Dubai Health Authority and Dr. Omar Sakaf from Dubai Ambulance. Ms. Alisha Moopen, Deputy Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare and Mr. T. J. Wilson, Executive Director & Group Head – Governance & Corporate Affairs, Aster DM Healthcare along with other members of the senior management of Aster DM Healthcare group were also present at the ceremony. As per schedule, the Aster Mobile Clinic Services vehicle for Ethiopia will be shipped to Ethiopia in the next few days.
“Compassion is one of our values which we strongly upheld in our journey of 33 years. More than 1.2 million people got benefitted from the various initiatives of Aster Volunteers during the last few years. Aster Volunteers Mobile Medical Services operating in different geographies have been able to reach out to large number of people who do not have access to healthcare. The 5 new Mobile Clinics being rolled out will strive to serve respective communities and give a helping hand to as many people we can. After seeing the huge response, utilization and success of the existing mobile clinics, we are exploring the options to introduce more such units in different regions and countries in the years to come,” commented Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare.
In addition to the Aster Volunteers Mobile Medical Services, Aster DM Healthcare has announced its internal initiative - the ‘Green Choices’ campaign. The 20,000 Asterians working in 379 units across 9 Countries took the pledge to go for green choices with an aim to ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ as much as possible to promote sustainability and contribute to a greener, cleaner future. This is expected to be achieved through a number of drives, awareness campaigns and activities that will take place each month over the next one year.
“The relationship with our communities is symbiotic and there is no better way to celebrate our 33rdFoundation Day than by launching these initiatives for some of the most deserving people and also our environment. Aster DM Healthcare has always strived to give back to the society and thus the launch of the additional Mobile Medical Services through which we promise to continue to make quality healthcare accessible to people,” stated Alisha Moopen, Deputy Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare.
“Through the ‘Green Choices’ initiative every Asterian will take a step ahead towards sustainable work choices and contribute their bit to take care of the environment,” said TJ Wilson, Executive Director of Aster DM Healthcare.
Aster DM Healthcare currently has 25 hospitals, 116 clinics and 238 pharmacies with operations in UAE, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Philippines and India focusing on providing quality and accessible healthcare to the communities it serves. In 2017, the group introduced Aster Volunteers, its global corporate social responsibility initiative, which through its various efforts has already touched over 1 million lives since its inception.
