National CPR Challenge from Sept 29 in Warangal

Warangal: In a bid to sensitise people about cardiac arrest and Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Srinivasa Heart Foundation headed by Dr Ramaka Srinivas, renowned cardiologist, is to initiate National CPR Challenge Campaign on World Heart Day, September 29, with an aim to train people in Hands-only CPR. The initiative is a part of health campaign on community as awareness on cardiac arrest and CPR is less in the country.

The fact is that mortality due to cardiac arrest can be reduced substantially by administering CPR even by a bystander. The National CPR Challenge Campaign is an initiative to improve outcomes from out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest by training lay persons in Hands-only CPR.

Dr Srinivas said: "Cardiac arrest is reversible if CPR is administered properly. How it works… Begin chest compressions within 10 seconds after a person collapse. Chest compressions consist of forceful rhythmic applications of pressure over the lower half of the sternum. These compressions create blood flow by increasing intra-thoracic pressure and directly compressing the heart."

The slogan of the campaign is 'Each one train one', he said, stating that the campaign aims primarily in imparting practical training to everyone in Hands-only CPR. If 100 persons are trained initially, each one should train another 100 in Hands-only CPR and continue the campaign. Hopefully, majority of the population is likely to understand the importance of CPR, he said.

It may be mentioned here that Srinivasa Heart Foundation has been conducting events as part of World Heart Day from 2001. Dr Srinivas, who organised the largest CPR Training Session in Warangal on December 12, 2012 creating awareness to 4,000 people with 40 mannikins, has been campaigning for the cause for the last decade.

Despite many training programmes in CPR conducted over the last decade, the awareness on CPR is quite less. Through this campaign, we are planning to train majority of Indian population in CPR. It goes like this. People from all walks of life will be attending this event and will propagate this campaign amongst their colleagues, family members, friends, relatives, he said. Time frame primarily one year but target time five years. Apart from CPR, we also plan to create awareness on cardiovascular health across the country. With India being the second most populous nation, the National CPR Challenge Campaign hopefully will be the largest public health campaign in the country and probably in the world. Apart from Hands-only CPR, the campaign also focuses training people in Automated External Defibrillator (AED), Dr Srinivas said.