Bhubaneswar, May 4: A three-day state-level awareness program on First Aid and Road Safety organised by the NSS Bureau of SOA Deemed to be University and supported by the State NSS Cell, the Ministry of Higher Education, Government of Odisha, began in the university campus here on Sunday.
The program aimed at enhancing awareness, preparedness, and life-saving skills among students, volunteers, and the general public.
Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda, Vice-Chancellor of SOA, who addressed the inaugural function, emphasized the importance of acquiring knowledge about first aid as a critical life-saving skill and urged the students to act as responsible citizens during emergency situations.
Dr. Kamal Lochan Mahanta, NSS Program Coordinator for SOA, highlighted the significance of first aid awareness in today’s society and urged the participants to actively engage in community service, emphasizing that every trained individual could become a potential lifesaver in critical situations.
Dr. Sarita Patel, Regional Director of NSS, who attended as a guest of honour, elaborated on the role of NSS volunteers in community service and disaster response, stressing that timely administration
of first aid could significantly reduce fatalities in road accidents. Prof. (Dr.) Pusparaj Samantasinghar, Medical Superintendent of IMS and SUM Hospital, spoke on government initiatives and medical perspectives related to emergency care.
Prof. Jyoti Ranjan Das, SOA’s Dean (Students’ Welfare), also shared his insights on the subject.
The inaugural session was followed by a series of technical training sessions conducted throughout the day. Four national-level trainers, Dr. Loknath Sahu, Mr. Ganesh Swin, Gulshan Kumar Das and Kuber Chandra Patro, conducted intensive practical sessions on first aid techniques.
The sessions, which were highly interactive and impactful, covered essential topics such as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), management of bleeding injuries and fractures, handling accident victims and immediate response strategies during road mishaps, providing the participants with hands-on training.
