World Heart Day 2025: "Don't Miss a Beat" — CPR Training at Backbone Medicity Hospital, Rajkot
Every year on 29 September, the world comes together to mark World Heart Day. This year's theme — "Don't Miss a Beat" — carried a very real meaning at Backbone Medicity Hospital in Rajkot, Gujarat.
On this occasion, Dr. Nikhila Pachani and her team organised a CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) awareness and training session for hospital staff, medical officers, and attendees. A CPR training manikin was placed in the hospital lobby, and a group of doctors, nurses, and support staff gathered to learn this life-saving skill.
What Is CPR and Why Does It Matter?
Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone — at home, at work, or in a public place. When the heart suddenly stops beating, every second counts. CPR is an emergency technique that uses chest compressions — and sometimes rescue breaths — to keep blood flowing to the brain and vital organs until medical help arrives.
Studies show that bystander CPR — performed by someone who witnesses a cardiac arrest — can significantly improve a person's chances of survival. Yet, in India, very few people outside of hospitals know how or when to perform it.
What Happened at the Session?
The session focused on two key questions:
- How do you know if someone is unresponsive and needs CPR?
- How do you perform CPR correctly?
Participants gathered in a circle around the training manikin and were walked through the steps of checking for responsiveness, calling for emergency help, and delivering chest compressions. Medical staff in scrubs and civilians alike took part, making it a truly community-oriented effort.
A Small Step With a Big Impact
"A small attempt to help society and save a life," — that is how the team described the session. It is a sentiment that speaks to the spirit of World Heart Day: that heart health is not just a medical issue, but a community responsibility.
Raising awareness in cities like Rajkot, and across Gujarat, helps more people feel confident enough to act in an emergency. A few minutes of CPR training could one day mean the difference between life and death for someone you know.
If you would like to learn more about heart health, cardiac arrest warning signs, or CPR, consider speaking with a qualified cardiologist. To book a consultation with Dr. Nikhila Pachani, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Rajkot, please get in touch with her clinic.