Enterprises in the Aldan district (Republic of Sakha) are not only actively fighting coronavirus at their production sites, but are going one step further to help in the treatment of the infection in their local communities.
Thanks to this support, a modern laboratory in the Aldan District has been equipped with the means to test widely for COVID-19, enabling companies to continuing operating in Aldan.
Polyus is taking strict anti-COVID precautions at its production sites, as well as supporting the local community in the Aldan district. Polyus donated 6 ventilators to local healthcare facilities, as well other required medical equipment . Furthermore, in partnership with the local hospital, a COVID-19 test lab has been successfully commissioned in Aldan.
Alexey Selyutin, Head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) department in the Aldan District, commented:“Polyus made a huge effort and spared no expense in having the lab equipped with the most advanced testing facilities (including express testing), for us here in Aldan. Highly qualified scientists were also invited to fine-tune the processes here in the lab, including flow separation, among other things. We owe it to Polyus Aldan that we have such an advanced lab with no need to verify Covid-19 test results at an external central location.”
Polyus has been conducting regular medical checkups, continuously monitoring the spread of coronavirus and ensuring employees are well-educated regarding the virus. The company has also built up a stock of disinfectants, temperature guns and personal protective equipment (PPE).
Alexey Noskov, Managing Director of Polyus Aldan, added:“We have not had any issues sourcing and providing PPE and protection equipment to our staff — our stock will last for 2-3 months. We are supporting the local district, including kindergartens and schools and anyone else who asks for help. The important thing to remember is that a swift response came from the team at the very beginning at a time when we didn’t have the access to sterilizers and disinfectant equipment. Our staff research online, looking at design drawings for equipment and made the devices themselves. The issues we had at the start of the pandemic are all solved now.”
Polyus Aldan is well equipped to fight COVID-19, with isolation rooms available, contact tracing and observation facilities in place to enable staff to continue doing their jobs. The health of employees in observation facilities or those taking sick leave when they experience flu symptoms is checked daily. Disinfection measures are applied everywhere, at all production sites as well as in the town of Nizhny Kuranakh.
Source: NVK Sakha, Yakutsk