Associated News Bureau

SKIMS Launches ‘CPR 360’ to Strengthen Community Response to Cardiac Emergencies

Srinagar, September 30: On World Heart Day, the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) on Wednesday launched ‘CPR 360’, an academic and community outreach initiative aimed at strengthening preparedness for cardiac emergencies and promoting lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills among the public. As part of the initiative, SKIMS organised a hands-on community CPR workshop attended by participants from various sections of society, including the Traffic Police, trekking community, schools and gymnasiums. Participants were given practical demonstrations and training in basic CPR and other essential first-response measures for cardiac arrest and other life-threatening emergencies. Certificates were also presented to participants upon completion of the training. Addressing the gathering, Director SKIMS & EOSG, Prof. M. Ashraf Ganie, emphasised the need to extend lifesaving skills beyond hospitals and healthcare professionals to communities at large. He said timely CPR and appropriate first-response measures could play a critical role in saving lives and called for community-level training on a larger scale. Prof. Ganie said SKIMS had the expertise, infrastructure and human resources to lead the initiative and expressed the hope that CPR 360 would develop into a sustained community-oriented programme. He also highlighted the proposed SKIMS Research Winter/Summer Fellowship Programme, which would provide students opportunities for structured academic learning, research and community outreach while creating a network of young health ambassadors. On the occasion, Prof. Ganie released the Academic Curriculum and Training Module for the three-year Post-Doctoral Training Programme in Cardiology, developed by the Department of Cardiology. The curriculum provides a structured framework for advanced academic, clinical and procedural training in cardiology. Prof. (Dr.) Imran Hafeez, Head of the Department of Cardiology, SKIMS, said the initiative aimed to make bystander CPR an immediate community response during cardiac emergencies. SSP Traffic Ajaz Ahmed Bhat also participated in the valedictory function and underscored the importance of community-based initiatives to improve emergency response. During the programme, former Heads of the Department of Cardiology, Prof. Hilal Ahmad Rather and Prof. Aijaz Ahmad Lone, were conferred Lifetime Achievement Awards in recognition of their contributions to cardiology and the development of the specialty at SKIMS. The organisers also acknowledged the Departments of Critical Care, Anaesthesia and Pharmacy, along with the In-charge of the SKIMS Skill Lab, for their support in conducting the programme. The event concluded with the distribution of certificates among participants who underwent CPR training.