Heroic Act: Timely CPR by Vijayawada gynaecologist saves electrocuted minor

Vijayawada: Timely action by gynaecologist Dr Nannapaneni Ravali saved the life of a six-year-old boy Sai who fell unconscious after being electrocuted in Ayyappa Nagar, Vijayawada.

Though the incident happened on May 5, it came to light on Friday after the video in which Dr Ravali was seen performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) went viral on social media.

“At around 5:30 pm on May 5, I was passing through Ayyappa Nagar. At that moment, I noticed a person carrying a child on his shoulder. Immediately I stopped my vehicle and examined the boy whose pulse was very low and remained unconscious. Recognising the gravity of the moment, I performed CPR on the boy on the roadside. The boy remained unconscious for seven minutes despite my best efforts to revive him,” Ravali said.

After that, Sai was taken to a private hospital to receive additional care. He recovered completely and was released from the hospital after being monitored for a day. The boy’s health is stable, according to his health reports. Informing the measures to be taken by the public during the emergencies, Ravali said, in most emergency cases the hospitals are far away from the mishap spot.

Ravali stressed on the urgent need to sensitise the public about the CPR procedure on par with the doctors and paramedical staff to rescue the lives during the emergencies. Initially, when the public notices any individual without a pulse after an accident or electrocution, he/she should be rescued by performing CPR and continue it until the injured person responds, she added.

What is CPR?

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a lifesaving technique useful in emergencies in which someone’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped, for example, when someone has a heart attack or nearly drowns. The American Heart Association recommends starting CPR with hard and fast chest compressions.