JASWANT SINGH GANDAM / RAMAN NEHRA
India Post News Service
PHAGWARA: The International CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) Day was celebrated at Lovely Professional University (LPU) July 27.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Punjab Unit, organized the event in collaboration with Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists (ISA) and IMA AKN Sinha Institute.
Nearly 100 senior doctors and medical professionals from across the country participated in the celebration and conducted training sessions for the general benefit of society. Thousands of LPU students and staff members got trained to act responsibly during initial moments in saving the life of a person suffering from cardiac arrest.
IMA’s National President and renowned parliamentarian from West Bengal Dr Santanu Sen appealed to all to channelize the life-supporting event in saving lives.
In a brief interaction with select media, Dr Sen said that it was the dream of IMA to teach CPR throughout the country.
“Many people die of cardiac arrest in front of many people due to ignorance. It is the dream of IMA to teach CPR to every countryman so that people don’t die due to ignorance about CPR,” he said.
He regretted that the government has included CPR in the curriculum, neither in health nor in the education curriculum.
He pleaded that the media should also learn CPR and further spread its information.”You hold training program for CPR and we will send out trainers,” he offered.
He declared that IMA will observe CPR Day on July 27 every year.
Former Punjab IMA President Dr S.P.S. Sooch and Phagwara IMA branch President Dr S. Rajan were present when Dr Sen interacted with the media.
Dr Sen also appreciated the learning environ at LPU and congratulated the Punjab unit of IMA for organizing the training program at LPU.
Inaugurating the celebration, Dr Sen made all in the audience to take a pledge in getting trained and train others afterwards to help in saving the life of people suffering from cardiac arrest.
LPU Chancellor Ashok Mittal presided over the celebration. On this occasion, an event-related booklet was also released.
Senior doctors shared in common that many who suffer from cardiac arrest die before reaching the hospital as people are unaware of simple emergency procedures such as “compression”, a proper and due pressing on the chest above the heart. They shared that such techniques increase the chance of affected person’s survival by two to three times.
Also present on this occasion were Director of AKN Sinha Institute Dr P, S. Bakshi; Chairman Indian Resuscitation Council Dr S.S.C. Chakra Rao; Organizing Chairman Dr S.P.S. Sooch; President-elect of IMA Punjab Dr Navjot Dahiya; Punjab Secretary Dr Avnish Bhagat; Dr Sahajnand Singh; and Dr Sunil Katyal.
After interactive sessions, the training was conducted by doctors in an elaborated workshop on lifesaving skills. The medical practitioners gave hands-on training about “compression” using 20 mannequins. Through this, LPU students, particularly newly admitted students, got required training in the basic emergency life-saving technique.
Meanwhile, local IMA branch, led by Dr S. Rajan, with the cooperation of village panchayat and forest department, launched a drive to plant 550 saplings at nearby village Dhak Pandori to mark the coming 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of the Sikh faith.
Dr Sen, who planted the sapling, was feted by the organizers.
Former Punjab minister and Congress stalwart Joginder Singh Mann was also present.
