Vilnius to host First Aid Festival

VILNIUS – Vilnius will host a First Aid Festival – the first ever in Lithuania – in Europa Square on Tuesday to mark the World First Aid Day.

The aim of the event is to draw attention to health care and the importance of first aid skills, the Lithuanian Red Cross said in a press release.

The festival will be attended by Health Minister Arunas Dulkys, Kestutis Stasaitis, the head of the Emergency Medicine Clinic, specialists from the Lithuanian Red Cross, representatives of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences' Kaunas Clinics and Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Clinics, scientists and students from the Faculty of Medicine of Vilnius University.

"In the face of war and in a post-pandemic world, no one needs to argue anymore that knowing first aid is the least that can be done to make oneself and one's loved ones safer," the press release quoted Dulkys as saying.

According to him, first aid remains relevant and it is important to continuously learn and improve knowledge, and to repeat it, so that the right help can be given in time.

“The public, non-governmental and business sectors have joined forces to make this happen – an exemplary collaboration", the minister said.

The festival will feature expert discussions on relevant first aid topics, and instructors will teach participants first aid skills that can be put into practice.

There will also be an opportunity to get acquainted with ambulance technology – to see an ambulance and to talk to the staff of the service.

National Blood Center specialists will talk about blood donation and pharmacists will offer free tests.