Health Ministry Initiates Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Awareness Week

New Delhi: Aware of the fact that awareness on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is poor across the country, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Monday launched a week long CPR Awareness Week underscoring the importance of CPR for every citizen.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a life-saving technique that plays a critical role in reviving individuals during sudden cardiac arrest. Studies indicate that without CPR, brain damage can occur within minutes, and every minute of delay decreases survival by 10 per cent.

According to the health ministry data, immediate bystander CPR can increase survival by two to three times. While nearly 50 per cent of population in high-income countries have undergone CPR training, in India the bystander CPR rate remains alarmingly low, ranging only between 1.3 and 9.8 per cent.

The CPR awareness week from October 13 to 17 initiated by the Health Ministry aims at promoting training, and community participation in CPR.

“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 health secretary Puniya Salila Srivastava.

Srivastava said that the health ministry aims to ensure every household, school, office, and public space has at least one individual trained in this lifesaving technique.

“This initiative is rooted in the understanding that cardiac arrest remains one of the leading causes of sudden deaths in India, with nearly 70 per cent of such cases occurring outside hospital settings, where immediate medical assistance is often unavailable. In these critical moments, timely administration of CPR by a bystander can significantly improve survival outcomes,” she said.

Various activities planned during the week include a nation-wide pledge ceremony, organization of physical and virtual demonstrations on CPR, expert interactions, panel discussions, and other activities.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in collaboration with MyGOV and MYBharat platforms has also published online pledge as well as CPR quiz.

India has been facing the menace of increased mortality on account of non-communicable diseases such as heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes and stroke over the past few decades. Coronary heart diseases have taken a heavy toll on premature deaths in the country, especially in the urban areas.

According to a recent study published in The Lancet, cardiac ailments killed more Indians (28 per cent) in 2016 than any other non-communicable disease. The study also revealed that heart ailments caused more than 2.1 million deaths in India across all ages in 2015. An alarming increase in heart disease has been witnessed among young adults, mostly in the age group of 22-26 years, in India owing to sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy food habits, and high levels of emotional and physical stress especially in urban areas, binge drinking and use of narcotics.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) State-Level Disease Burden report, among all age groups, the prevalence of heart disease has increased by over 50 per cent from 1990 to 2016 in India with an increase observed almost in every state.

Data from hospitals across India between 2020 and 2023 show that 50 per cent of heart attack patients are below the age of 40. Doctors and researchers are alarmed by the growing number of cardiac arrests among individuals under 40 years of age.

Emphasizing the urgency of the situation, renowned cardiologist Dr Upendra Kaul said, “Heart attacks used to be a disease of the elderly, but in the last 4-5 years, cases among young adults have increased significantly.” He said that the major reasons behind the rising number of cardiovascular diseases include lifestyle, stress, poor diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and even genetic factors.

“There is an urgent need to inform people about CPR as it is one of the major tools to save human lives,” said Dr Kaul.

Aware of the seriousness of this situation, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has also initiated a year long awareness drive across the country through its state branches. Talking to this correspondent, Dr Dilip P Bhanushali, IMA president said that all the IMA branches have been asked to conduct CPR awareness drives with the involvement of local people.

“We have asked to initiate CPR training drives with community heads, auto drivers, police personnel and all stakeholders so that the knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation is known to all,” said Dr Bhanushali.

Under Aao Gaon Chale (Lets go to the village) programme, IMA adopted more than one thousand villages to provide CPR training.

Vital Points

* The Health Ministry has initiated CPR awareness week from October 13 to 17 aiming to promote training, and community participation in CPR.

* Capacity building programme will be organized by healthcare professionals and students from medical institutes in the form of organizing physical demonstrations on compression only CPR.

* 50 per cent of people in high-income countries have undergone CPR training

* Knowledge about CPR in India is alarmingly poor

* Between 2020 and 2023, 50 percent of heart attack patients are below the age of 40.

* Bystander CPR can increase survival by two to three times

* Heart ailments caused more than 2.1 million deaths in India across all ages

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