More than 6 lakh citizens have been imparted with training on the lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) technique during the pan-India CPR Awareness Week, the government said on Wednesday.
CPR is a lifesaving and vital emergency procedure that, when administered in a timely manner, improves the survival chances in critical cardiac arrest incidents. It involves a combination of chest compressions at a speed of 100 compressions per minute, and rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth) to maintain blood flow and oxygen to the brain and vital organs until professional medical help arrives.
Organised by the Ministry of Health and Family, the CPR Awareness Week was held between October 13 to 17 with an aim to sensitise citizens about the importance of early bystander intervention during cardiac arrest and other medical emergencies.
“Overall, through multifaceted activities, over 7,47,000 citizens were engaged during the CPR Awareness Week, and physical training was imparted to more than 6,06,374 participants across the country,” the Ministry stated in an official press note.
India’s bystander CPR rates remain lower than global standards, despite the technique’s proven life-saving potential. The Ministry sought to bridge this gap by promoting widespread CPR training, awareness, and behavioural readiness across diverse population groups through this week-long initiative.
To ensure widespread participation and awareness generation, a series of activities was organised throughout the week. Expanding on sessions, the ministry added, “A total of 14,701 participants joined the inaugural live pledge and CPR demonstration event through the ECHO platform and YouTube Live.
Citizens were also encouraged to take a digital pledge through the MyGov platform, with 79,870 individuals pledging their commitment to CPR awareness.”
In addition to extensive physical training sessions on Compression-only CPR organised across India by State and UT health departments, central government hospitals, AIIMS, INIs, the Indian Red Cross Society, and professional bodies, various CPR training sessions were also held for central government employees, CISF personnel, housekeeping staff, and officials from various Ministries.
“The simple act of performing hands-only CPR can sustain blood flow and oxygen to vital organs until professional help arrives, increasing survival chances manifold,” said Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, while inaugurating CPR Awareness Week.
She stated that the government aims to ensure that every household, school, office, and public space has at least one individual trained in this lifesaving technique.