La Loma, March 15, 2023
As part of its commitment to improving access to healthcare in the communities where it operates, Drummond Ltd., together with the Mayor of La Jagua de Ibirico (Cesar) and the Jorge Isaac Rincon Torres Hospital, officially delivered the La Palmita health center improvement project.
“This work not only benefits La Palmita, but it also helps neighboring villages, strengthening the social fabric and improving the living conditions of local inhabitants. Things take place at the health post like medical brigades, medical services, and other kinds of services,” emphasized Yilda Tatiana Pineda, senior supervisor of community relations at Drummond Ltd.
The first phase of the improvement project was an infrastructure assessment and verification inspection by the city government in October 2022, which identified the less-than-optimal conditions at the health center.
“We are very thankful to the company for the work it has done. This health center was in a really bad state. The project recognized this and took the initiative to get involved. This health center will benefit more of our residents, in addition to the surrounding villages. It has had a positive impact, and the community has responded well. These are the kind of commitments and social works that Drummond carries out in our community,” said Rafael Rodriguez Gomez, president of the Community Action Board of the Francisco Gomez neighborhood in La Palmita.
The mining company contributed 330 million pesos in construction materials and labor, which will benefit approximately 3,200 residents of La Palmita and neighboring villages. The company did the preliminary work, concrete structure, flooring, roofing, finishing, plastering, plumbing, and it repaired the electrical system, which was not up to code.
“As managers of the hospital and healthcare providers, we will continue our activities at the La Palmita Health Center, which is an outpatient center. We will continue to provide dental, oral hygiene, general medical, psychological, and nutritional services on a scheduled basis,” explained Yuri Silva, manager of the Jorge Isaac Rincon Torres Hospital, located in La Jagua de Ibirico.
This work was done as part of Drummond’s Governance for Development pillar of its Corporate Social Responsibility, to strengthen local capacity for more efficient public administration and planning, in line with municipal development plans.