CPR Awareness Week: A Nationwide Call for Life-Saving Skills

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is spearheading an initiative to enhance public ability in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), a crucial emergency procedure that can dramatically increase survival rates in cardiac arrest situations.

With an alarming 70% of cardiac arrests occurring outside hospital environments, the Ministry launched 'CPR Awareness Week' from October 13 to 17. Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava emphasized the critical need for widespread public capacity building in CPR to ensure timely life support until professional care arrives.

The event aims for every community space—from homes and offices to schools—to have at least one CPR-trained individual. Over 15,000 participants, including high-ranking officials and health professionals, joined the inaugural event to promote CPR education. The week's activities include a national pledge, CPR technique demonstrations, and strategic discussions to address low bystander intervention rates.