CPR Awareness Week 2025 Launches to Empower Citizens with Lifesaving Skills

In a significant step toward building a nation of lifesavers, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has launched Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Awareness Week 2025, being observed from 13–17 October 2025. The week-long initiative aims to create mass awareness, encourage public participation, and promote training in CPR — a simple yet crucial technique that can save lives during cardiac emergencies.

The campaign was inaugurated by Union Health Secretary Smt. Punya Salila Srivastava in New Delhi, in the presence of senior ministry officials, healthcare professionals, and representatives from medical institutions and civil society organizations. The event marked the beginning of a large-scale national effort to make CPR knowledge a part of every household and community.

Building a Nation of First Responders

Addressing the gathering, Smt. Srivastava emphasized that hands-only CPR—a simplified method of pressing the chest rhythmically to maintain blood circulation—can significantly increase survival chances in cardiac arrest cases that occur outside hospitals.

“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,” she said.

Highlighting the ministry’s vision, she stated that every household, school, office, and public space should have at least one individual trained in this lifesaving skill. Given that nearly 70% of cardiac arrests occur outside hospital settings, immediate CPR by bystanders can play a decisive role in saving lives.

Pan-India Campaign for Capacity Building

The CPR Awareness Week is part of the government’s sustained community-centric efforts to reduce fatalities from sudden cardiac arrests. Over 15,000 participants from the health sector, medical institutions, and civil society joined the inaugural event to reaffirm their commitment to public health and emergency response.

Participants also took a “Save a Life” pledge, promising to promote CPR awareness and motivate others to undergo basic training. The launch featured a live demonstration of hands-only CPR conducted by medical experts, showcasing the technique’s accessibility to the general public.

Activities and Nationwide Engagement

Throughout the week, a series of interactive activities and educational initiatives will be conducted nationwide. These include:

• Physical and virtual demonstrations of CPR techniques

• Expert-led discussions and panel interactions

• Awareness drives in schools, colleges, and offices

• Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns through media and social platforms

The initiative seeks to foster community preparedness, ensuring that citizens are not mere bystanders but active lifesavers in times of crisis.

Digital Participation and Online Pledge

To amplify outreach, MoHFW has collaborated with MyGov and MyBharat platforms to make CPR learning accessible online. Citizens can:

• Take the CPR Pledge at pledge.mygov.in/save-a-life-cpr

• Participate in the CPR Awareness Quiz on quiz.mygov.in and mybharat.gov.in

These interactive tools aim to encourage millions of Indians to learn and commit to performing CPR confidently during emergencies.

Toward a Heart-Safe India

With cardiac arrests remaining a leading cause of sudden deaths in India, the government’s CPR Awareness Week 2025 is a landmark step toward democratizing lifesaving knowledge. By equipping citizens with essential emergency response skills, the Ministry envisions a Heart-Safe India, where timely action and awareness can bridge the critical gap between life and death.