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“Delhi High Court accepts a PIL by the Heart Care Foundation of India on the issue”
New Delhi, August 25, 2018:
The Hon’ble Chief Justice of Delhi High Court recently accepted and converted a representation filed by the Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) into Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the issue of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machine in public places such as courts, railways and metro. The move comes after various applications were filed by the HCFI to several bodies indicating the absence of AED machines in public places and lack of training in CPR technique.
The WHO estimates that about 5.8 lakh and 1.15 lakh die of stroke and cardiac arrest every year around the world. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the number one killer in India. As per the Delhi Economic Survey, about 25 to 45 deaths occur in Delhi every day due to this condition. HCFI, since its inception, has been regularly conducting programmes to train people in essential life saving techniques such as CPR. It has also been creating awareness on the need to install AEDs in public places.
Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee, Dr KK Aggarwal, President, HCFI, said, “HCFI has been working for the benefit of public at large and to save the lives of thousands of people who die because of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in the absence of cardiac first aid including CPR and the non-availability of AED. About 50% of the patients can be saved if proper CPR is given on time. However, about 98% of the country’s population is not trained this technique. In case an ambulance reaches the patient very late or if there is an acute shortage of cardiac ambulances, an AED installed at public places can help save lives in a timely manner.”
Defibrillation within 3 to 5 min of collapse can produce survival rates as high as 50% to 70%. Early defibrillation can be achieved through CPR providers using public access and on-site AEDs. Public access AED programmes should be actively implemented in public places that have a high density of citizens.
Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, who is also the Vice President of CMAAO, said, “Learning CPR amounts to real voluntary work. The CPR 10 Mantra is as follows: Within 10 minutes of cardiac arrest (earlier the better) for the next 10 minutes at least, compress the centre of the chest with a speed of 100 compressions per minute (10×10)”. CPR 10 is easy to learn and easy to do and one does not need to be a doctor or be certified in this technique to do CPR.”
Some salient points from the PIL include the following.
- To open a dispensary in all courts, metro and railway stations which should function properly.
- To train all staff / employees / security personnel in Cardiac First Aid including CPR
- To install AED machines at all relevant and conspicuous places
- First Aid medicines for SCA should be available in all courts, metro and railway stations, and in trains.
- All courts, metro and railway stations should have a tie-up with ambulance services for any emergencies.
- Doctor should be available during working hours at all places.
- Atleast one pharmacy / chemist shop should be available in all courts, metro and railway stations
- All courts, metro and railway stations should maintain a data w.r.t deaths taking place due to SCA.
