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Ramgarh’s ‘Aapda Mitra’ drive trains 150k citizens in CPR, first aid
Officials involved in the exercise said the initiative, known as ‘Aapda Mitra’, has reached people across government offices, banks, schools, colleges, panchayats, industrial units, and mining areas — places where emergencies can occur anytime in the district, which, according to the 2011 Census, had a population of around 950,000.
A mass training drive in Ramgarh is turning ordinary citizens into lifesavers. From panchayats and schools to banks and industrial units, thousands across the district are learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid under a campaign led by deputy commissioner Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz.
“We started this initiative around four months back, and we have already trained around 150,000 people in the district. We are well on our way to meeting the target of imparting CPR training to at least two lakh persons in the district by the end of December,” said Mumtaz on Saturday.
Officials involved in the exercise said the initiative, known as ‘Aapda Mitra’, has reached people across government offices, banks, schools, colleges, panchayats, industrial units, and mining areas — places where emergencies can occur anytime in the district, which, according to the 2011 Census, had a population of around 950,000.
Mumtaz said the foundation of the project lies in its 3,229 master trainers — individuals professionally trained by experts in CPR and first aid. “We first trained the master trainers, along with medics, paramedics, and doctors. We have their database. Now they are being sent out to identified locations, including schools, panchayats, and factories, to train others.”
Each master trainer is assigned specific areas, ensuring that every panchayat and senior secondary school in the district has at least a few trained individuals. Training sessions are organised with rosters detailing the location, date, and number of participants, ensuring no group is left behind. The programme is also reaching out to a diverse set of people — factory workers, miners, students, shopkeepers, and teachers all participate, the DC said.
The deputy commissioner added that the basic idea behind the drive is to ensure that the maximum number of people are aware of at least the basics of life-saving techniques in times of emergency. “Many a time, a mere timely intervention becomes critical in saving a precious life. This initiative has a long-term impact.”
