Road Safety awareness program during the road safety month Feb 2021

The Department of Orthopaedics AIIMS Mangalagiri organized multiple programs on the occasion of National Road Safety month which was from 18 th January to 17 th February 2021. There are around 4.5 to 4.6 lakh road traffic accidents a year and around 1.5 lakh deaths due to road traffic accidents. This year’s slogan by the government is Sadak Suraksha, Jeevan Raksha. As the department of Orthopaedics treats a number of patients who suffer fractures, joint dislocations, ligament injuries, etc. due to these accidents. We decided it is important to create awareness about road safety to decrease the number of accidents and prevent the morbidity and mortality associated with these injuries. Simple things like wearing a helmet, wearing a seat belt, not to Overspeed etc. will go a long way in protection and prevention of injuries.

The department organized the following programs to create road safety awareness.

1. Walkathon on 14.2.2021 to promote road safety awareness

2. Poster Display and poster competition on the theme of road safety from 14.2.2021 to 17.2.2021

3. Mime by the students

4. Public awareness talks by the Orthopaedic department faculty to promote road safety.

• The walkathon was well attended. The walkathon was led by the Dr. Rakesh Kakkar Medical Superintendent, AIIMS Mangalagiri and the faculty from the department of Orthopaedics.
• More than 200 students, faculty, nursing officers participated in the walkathon which started from main gate AIIMS Mangalagiri to the Mangalagiri bus stand. The students carried banners, placards during the walkathon and also shouted slogans to inform the public about simple things which the public can do to prevent these accidents. The students also performed a skit opposite the bus stand to create awareness.
• The Deputy Traffic Commissioner and his team also participated and led the walkathon.
• The walkathon was well covered by both the print and the television media.
• The posters were displayed from the 14.2.2021 for the patient’s benefit.
• On 15.2.2021 the department faculty in the OPD area gave public awareness talks regarding road safety and the students performed a mime. Both the mime and the talks were well appreciated by the patients and their attenders.
• The posters made by the students, faculty and nursing officers were judged on 15.2.2021.
• Dr. Mukesh Tripathi, Director AIIMS Mangalagiri distributed the prizes with certificates for the 3 best posters and interacted with the prize winners.
• Dr. Joy A Ghoshal, Dean, Dr.Rakesh Kakkar, Medical Superintendent, Dr. Purushotham Lingaiah, Deputy MedicalSuperintendent, Dr. Vineet Thomas Abraham, HOD Orthopaedics along with the faculty and staff of the department of Orthopaedics were present during the prize distribution.
• We hope this endeavor by the Department of Orthopaedics goes a long way in promoting road safety thus preventing the morbidity and mortality associated with these road traffic accidents.