The nearly 4,000-square-meter building consists of 36 apartments with individual bathrooms, and common areas for laundry, cafeteria and bathrooms.

The municipal administration will carry out adaptations to the building, as well as the installation of the necessary equipment for the operation of the hospital.

Albras is a joint venture between Hydro and Nippon Amazon Aluminum Co., and is part of Hydro’s value chain in Brazil that includes bauxite mining, alumina refining and aluminium production in the northern state of Pará.

Project accelerated by pandemic

Albras and the municipality of Barcarena began talking about the donation of the building in 2019, and the process was accelerated due to the pandemic.

In the future, a space will be created for Todos Pelo Trabalho (‘All For Work’), one of the social programs led by Albras and Hydro Alunorte alumina refinery. It involves a network of partners from the municipality, such as public authorities, private companies, community leaders and unions in the region and in the future it is planned to be a space for training, job promotion and events.

"The company has been following developments in the COVID-19 situation and taking effective steps to protect its employees, family members, contractors and assist in prevention and treatment initiatives, integrating collective efforts to prevent the entry and spread of the virus," says João Batista Menezes, CEO of Albras.

Preventive measures and support to local communities

All Hydro operations in Brazil are taking several measures to protect employees, contractors, family members and communities where they are present.

Hydro has established a dialogue with the municipalities where it operates to seek ways to support the actions of authorities in combating COVID-19.

One of Hydro's initiatives is a commitment to supply mineral water to a shelter created by the government of Pará at the Mangueirão Stadium in the state capital of Belém. A first shipment of 51,000 liters of mineral water was received March 22.