Every second counts: Union health secretary launches CPR week

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava launched CPR Awareness Week on Monday in New Delhi, which will run from October 13 to 17, 2025, aiming to emphasise the importance of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for all citizens. The event drew participation from over 15,000 individuals representing the health sector and civil societies. While the launch event took place in New Delhi, CPR Awareness Week is a nationwide initiative, with activities including online pledges, virtual demonstrations, quizzes, and engagement through MyGov and MyBharat platforms, allowing participation across India.

According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the initiative seeks to promote training and community engagement in CPR. During the launch, the Union Health Secretary highlighted the need to enhance public capability in performing hands-only CPR, stating that it can maintain blood flow and oxygen to vital organs until professional medical help arrives, thereby significantly increasing survival chances.

The Secretary emphasised that the ministry aims for every household, school, office, and public space to have at least one trained individual capable of administering CPR. She noted that nearly 70 per cent of cardiac arrest cases in India occur outside hospitals, where immediate medical assistance is often unavailable, underlining the importance of timely bystander intervention.

As part of the inaugural event, participants took a pledge to promote CPR awareness and encourage others to learn the life-saving technique. The programme also featured a live demonstration of hands-only CPR conducted by medical experts, illustrating the simple steps that anyone can perform during a cardiac emergency.

Throughout CPR Awareness Week, the Ministry has scheduled various activities including nationwide pledge ceremonies, physical and virtual demonstrations, panel discussions, expert interactions, and Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns. In collaboration with MyGov and MyBharat platforms, the Ministry has also made an online pledge available and will conduct a quiz on CPR to further engage the public.

The initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen public preparedness in emergency cardiac care and improve survival outcomes across the country.