Bhubaneswar, Sept 12: A one-day training programme on Compression-Only Life Support (CALS) was organised at the SUM Hospital Campus-I as part of the observance of World Anaesthesia Day.
The programme was jointly organised by the Department of Anaesthesiology of the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, a constituent of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) University, and the Bhubaneswar branch of the Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists (ISA).
More than 60 participants, including housekeeping staff, security personnel, hospital employees and attendants, underwent training conducted by the Department of Anaesthesiology.
The CALS programme aimed to empower ordinary citizens with the knowledge and confidence to save a life during a cardiac emergency. Participants were trained to recognise signs of cardiac arrest and provide immediate assistance through chest compressions and other basic life-saving measures until professional medical help arrives.
The training also covered various practical skills and emergency response techniques to help participants respond effectively and confidently in critical situations.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor (Dr.) Shashwat Kumar Patnaik, Head of the Department of Anaesthesiology, emphasised the importance of equipping ordinary people with basic life-saving skills. He said such training could enable members of the public to provide timely assistance and potentially save the lives of accident victims and people facing medical emergencies in everyday life.
Professors (Dr.) Prerana Biswal, (Dr.) Swastika Swar, (Dr.) Sushree Das and (Dr.) Ranjita Acharya of the Department of Anaesthesiology coordinated and conducted the training programme.
The initiative highlighted the importance of creating a community of trained first responders capable of taking immediate action during cardiac and other life-threatening emergencies.
