While Biocon was involved in community programs from inception, it started a corporate social responsibility wing—the Biocon Foundation—in 2004 through which it works in the areas of health, education and infrastructure, especially in rural areas.
Health
Through the Arogya Raksha Yogana (ARY) clinics, Biocon helps meet the primary, tertiary and secondary healthcare needs of various communities. Its 7 ARY clinics—located where healthcare facilities are poor—offer clinical care, generic medicines and basic tests. Each of the clinics—located in Austin Town and Krishnarajpuram in Bangalore City, Huskur and Hennagara in Anekal taluk, and in the districts of Mandya, Chickballapur and Bagalkote—serves a population of 50,000 people living within a radius of 10 km. The clinics organise health camps in remote villages. A mobile diabetic foot van from the Jain Institute of Vascular Sciences, Bangalore, visits each clinic once a month to treat diabetics. The Foundation employs community health workers to educate communities on health, disease prevention and early detection. CHWs are equipped with mobile phones to facilitate flow of information to the clinic.
Through an integrated outreach strategy, ARY clinics promote linkage with the ARY Health Insurance scheme that helps the poor access good quality healthcare. Scheme members use the services such as free surgeries, subsidised hospitalisation, free consultation, medicines and tests at ARY clinics and other hospitals by paying an annual premium of Rs.120 per head. The scheme has enrolled more than 100,000 members in Karnataka and, in five years, has facilitated more than 1,000 surgeries. With a 100% renewal rate in most villages, this plan has benefited almost 250,000 people.
Since many health problems arise due to lack of awareness and poor hygiene, the Foundation spreads awareness on hygiene and sanitation and has built more than 800 toilets in Phase 1 of its sanitation program.