Telangana to hold mass CPR training, get 1,200 defibrillators to prevent cardiac arrests

Hyderabad: From 19-year-old Mutyam to 38-year-old Syam Yadav, Telangana recorded several incidents where young people died from sudden cardiac arrests in the last 10 days. Thanks to the quick response by the Hyderabad traffic police, traffic constables on duty could rescue people suffering cardiac arrest in public places.

Following the need for people to get hands-on CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training, the Telangana government has launched a mass CPR training programme for first responders and field-level healthcare personnel across the state.

Health minister Harish Rao announced that the Telangana government will purchase a total of 1,200 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) at a cost of Rs. 18 crores in the first phase. The AED machines will be installed in all public areas and even in apartment complexes.

The minister also said that 15 lakh individuals die from sudden cardiac arrest each year, with an average of 4,000 deaths every day. https://newsmeter.in/top-stories/sudden-cardiac-arrest-young-new-telangana-records-4-cases-ten-days-708817

He stated that CPR can minimise the number of deaths and that WHO and many other health organisations estimate that half of all deaths can be averted. He further said the state health department will focus on conducting CPR training sessions in all municipalities and panchayats.

“The rising number of young people collapsing and dying in Hyderabad, while bystanders nearby watch helplessly, needed to be addressed. We thought that a mass training programme to impart skills to resuscitate such folks needs to be taken up across Telangana. I must commend the health minister for acting quickly and decisively on this matter,” said Telangana IT minister K.T. Rama Rao during a CPR training programme held at GVK-Emergency Management and Research Institute (EMRI), Medchal. KTR suggested that CPR training should be given to one lakh people in the city of Hyderabad and also to hundreds of people in the district.

Idea suggested by Dr. Mukharjee Madivada

The initiative was suggested by Dr. Mukharjee Madivada, senior interventional cardiologist and managing director, Pulse Heart Center, and director of Pulse Heart Charitable Trust, who addressed the issue to IT minister KTR on Twitter. The doctor suggested installing public access defibrillators in the most crowded places in Hyderabad, which will save lives and put Hyderabad on the map of the safest cities

“These will save lives and put Hyderabad on the map of the safest cities,” the doctor tweeted.

KTR responded, “Doc, Happy to report that as promised, we have explored and launched the CPR training program today and have also placed orders for 1400 defibrillators (AEDs) to begin with. Will be expanding the numbers going forward.”

Dr. Mukharjee is also set to meet Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan in connection with Thursday’s CPR programme.

Training for police/RTC officials

Citing frequent cases of cardiac arrest in the city, the health officials have already started CPR training sessions for the city police and traffic police constables and RTC staff. One such session was held in Goshamahal on 29 February.