Mumbai, Mar 9 (IANS): The Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital (KDAH) in Navi Mumbai has launched a massive free cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training for commoners to help save lives in cases of heart emergencies, an officials said here on Thursday.

KDAH Director Dr. Bipin Chevale said that they will train around 100,000 people of Navi Mumbai at various locations till March 31 under the 'Revive Life Campaign'.

"We shall train them to give CPR in a crisis where an individual has suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. The target is ordinary citizens, corporate executives, students, civic employees, fire-fighters, police personnel, cabbies and others who shall be equipped with CPR training that is critical in such emergencies," Chevale said.

He said that in recent times, there are multiple incidents of people suffering from a sudden cardiac arrest which accounts for 50 per cent of all deaths related to heart diseases deaths in the country.

KDAH's S. K. Agarwal, Emergency Medicine Consultant said CPR training is a crucial skill that can help save lives in an emergency, easy to learn and can be practically deployed during any heart issue involving family, relatives, neighbours, colleagues, among others, that can crop up without notice.

"Time is of the essence and the earlier the victim is treated, the greater are his/her survival chances. If someone is suddenly unresponsive or not breathing, and has no pulse, they must be stabilised with CPR to avert permanent damage," Agarwal said.

Chevale said that the KDAH has set up a task force of five expert teams for imparting the CPR training, one stationed in house and others travelling to different locations to give hands-on training in adult CPR and also to children and infants, using mannequins.