Interloop & BCI Launch Mobile Health Clinic in Rural Communities

04 Jan Interloop & BCI Launch Mobile Health Clinic in Rural Communities

On 4 January, 2019, Interloop Limited signed an agreement with Lok Sanjh Foundation; the implementing partner of Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) in Pakistan to finance provision of Mobile Health Services to marginalized Rural Communities in cotton growing areas of 3 Union Councils in District Toba Tek Singh, Punjab. Tariq Rashid, Director Sourcing Interloop Limited and Dr. Farzana Shahid, Executive Director Lok Sanjh signed the agreement on behalf of respective organizations. Also present on the occasion were executives from both organizations.

The objective of this project is to provide Rural Health Care Services through developing a Mobile Health Clinic for rural communities, especially farmers, women workers and children. The mobile health unit will consist of a doctor, a vehicle fitted with health care equipment and basic medicines. Local communities, especially women farmers and workers (cotton pickers) will be engaged for assistance in managing these mobile health clinics. The project is expected to provide primary health care to 4000 rural community members on weekly basis and educate them about improving drinking water quality to reduce water borne diseases. These remote mobile clinics will also provide health care services to expecting mothers and engage women farmers in identifying areas for running these clinics.

As a responsible Hosiery manufacturing company, Interloop Limited has been effecting multiple sustainability initiatives that address environmental and social impacts. In one of such initiatives, Interloop has tripled the consumption of BCI Cotton as raw material since 2015 and has become the First Textile Company in Pakistan to sponsor private funding for BCI Cotton. It partnered with Lok Sanjh to support 93,000 farmers; almost half of Pakistani and 6.2% of the global BCI Cotton producing farmers. BCI is a long-term multi-stakeholder initiative that develops and promotes good farming practices, allowing more cotton to be grown while reducing water & chemical use and protecting both working conditions and biodiversity.