Sterlite Industries (India) Limited, a subsidiary of the London based Vedanta Resources Plc, has signed an MoU with SACH Foundation, the CSR initiative of Apollo Hospitals, to support heart surgeries of around 50 children from economically underprivileged backgrounds from all over India. The cardiac surgeries, will be performed under the auspices of the 'Save A Child's Heart' Foundation, a press release from Apollo said.

The "Save A Child's Heart' (SACH) project was established in 2003 by the Apollo Hospitals Group with the objective of reaching out to underprivileged children afflicted with heart diseases. SACH today is the largest voluntary organization in Asia that provides care and treatment for underprivileged children suffering from paediatric heart diseases.

The SACH team includes highly qualified and well- trained doctors and paramedical staff of the Apollo Hospitals, with vast experience in treating paediatric heart problems. SACH Foundation is functioning at present in Chennai and in Hyderabad, and will start functioning at Ahmedabad soon.

Later, sources from the hospital said, sustainable development is an integral part of Sterlite's business philosophy and overall ethos. The company's sustainable development strategy prioritized three areas such as inclusive growth for the people and communities, environmental management, and sustainable economic growth in the region where the company operates.

According to Preetha Reddy, managing director of Apollo Hospitals, "It is heartening that Sterlite Industries is partnering our endeavour to assist underprivileged children in need of treatment for heart diseases. Apollo Hospitals also contributes to the treatment of these children by considerably subsidizing the cost of the surgery and waiving several cost components such as hospital stay, operating theatre charges etc. Corporate contributions will further strengthen our efforts to reach out and help lakhs of children in dire need of medical attention".

Sushil Gupta, CFO, Sterlite Industries said, "Health is an area where the company is concerned and Sterlite partnering with the state government and prominent Ngo's in delivering high quality health care to the people of the community where it operates".

"The burden of congenital heart diseases in India is enormous given the high birth rate. It is estimated that well over a lakh of children are born with heart diseases in the country. At least a third of these children would require intervention in the first year itself. Given the enormity of the problem, the objective of SACH is to actively identify as many of such children as possible, treat them and also create enough awareness about paediatric heart disease", said Dr. Neville Solomon, Paediatric Cardiac Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals Chennai