RUSAL bestows over $105 million to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic

The Russian aluminium giant, Rusal has contributed $105 million (eight billion Russian Rubles) to fight against COVID-19 and support regional healthcare systems across Russia to combat the pandemic.

RUSAL has supported seven emergency medical centres in Siberia and the Urals which opened one year ago to treat patients suffering from COVID-19 and pneumonia. The aluminium company donated over $52 million (four billion Russian Rubles) to build the centres comprising all equipment required to treat patients such as computer tomographs, high-tech ultrasound devices, oxygen stations, laboratory and functional diagnostics devices.

Regardless of the complexity and scale of building the medical centres, construction was accomplished within just seven months. However, since its opening, medical professionals have treated over 13,500 people.

The metal arm of En+ Group, RUSAL pursued finance measures to counter the pandemic, incorporating regular support to regional healthcare systems. The Company has allocated an additional $52 million (four billion Russian Rubles) towards ongoing initiatives comprising the provision of medicines and reagents for laboratories, personal protective equipment, ambulances for regional hospitals and oxygen concentrators which are necessary for the treatment of patients in a serious condition. RUSAL has also organized online seminars with leading experts for medical personnel, providing them with the latest information on advanced methods for treating COVID-19.

Providing financial and practical medical support to regional healthcare systems, which often lack the facilities found in major cities, is an initiative developed by RUSAL. The need for such essential health services in remote regions has become even more crucial against the backdrop of a global pandemic.

Evgenii Nikitin, RUSAL’s General Director said: “RUSAL is one of the first Russian companies to launch a full-scale healthcare support programme to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Our experience of providing critical medical facilities in Guinea to fight the Ebola epidemic prepared us well to address the urgent healthcare facilities we now need in Russia, especially in small, remote cities where there is often a lack of access to the latest medical equipment."

“RUSAL has donated more than $105 million (eight billion Russian Ruble) in the fight against COVID-19 since March 2020. But it is much more than a financial contribution – this is about creating a lasting legacy of giving back to those communities across the globe which matter to us and providing care to the people who need it most.”