In a major public health initiative, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched CPR Awareness Week 2025 on Monday to build mass awareness and community participation in lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) techniques. The campaign, being observed from 13–17 October, was inaugurated by Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava in New Delhi.
The inaugural event saw the participation of over 15,000 people from the health sector, medical institutions, and civil society across India. It featured a live hands-only CPR demonstration by medical experts and a nationwide pledge to promote CPR awareness.
Addressing the gathering, Srivastava emphasized the critical importance of bystander CPR in saving lives during cardiac emergencies. “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.
She underscored the Ministry’s vision to ensure that every household, school, office, and public space has at least one person trained in CPR. Highlighting the urgency, she noted that nearly 70% of cardiac arrests in India occur outside hospitals, where immediate medical assistance is often unavailable. “In these critical moments, timely administration of CPR by a bystander can make the difference between life and death,” she added.
The week-long nationwide campaign aims to tackle low bystander CPR rates and build widespread community capacity. Activities planned during CPR Awareness Week include physical and virtual demonstrations, expert sessions, panel discussions, and public information campaigns.
To encourage maximum participation, the Ministry has partnered with MyGov and MyBharat platforms to host online CPR pledges and quizzes. Citizens can take the pledge or test their CPR knowledge at:
* https://quiz.mygov.in/quiz/quiz-cpr-awareness-week-2025/
* https://pledge.mygov.in/save-a-life-cpr/
* https://mybharat.gov.in/quiz/quiz_dashboard/bUZNV2VOMUhDSTZXSzg3c1JJVzNuZz09
The launch of CPR Awareness Week marks a significant step in making lifesaving CPR skills a mass movement in India, empowering citizens to act swiftly and effectively in cardiac emergencies.