Bangalore, October 13 2022: Manipal Hospitals, in association with BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), and Bangalore City Traffic Police recently rolled out QR codes, a quick digital innovative solution, to help bring First Aid care and medical services to people with cardiac emergencies. So far, these QR codes have been installed at 20 traffic junctions in Bangalore.
People often forget the number of ambulance service during an emergency situation, which can cost lives. As a solution to this problem, the hospital launched the QR code initiative, where one of the codes will help people connect with an emergency ambulance number, and the other will educate them on CPR, or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, which will help them save the lives of infants, children, and adults during cardiac emergencies. Despite CPR being a life-saving technique, only about 2% of India's population knows how to use it correctly.
Dr. B.R. Ravikanthe Gowda, IPS, Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic - Bengaluru City, said, “We began this initiative by installing the heart shaped traffic lights, audio messages and QR codes at key junctions. However, currently we have installed at 20 traffic junctions in Bangalore, and is expected to be placed at more key traffic junctions.”
“The QR codes, an innovative solution, will provide access to medical services in times of cardiac emergencies and create awareness about the correct techniques of CPR. This initiative will help affected people receive timely medical support, resulting in lower mortality,” he added.
Dr. H Sudarshan Ballal, Chairman, Manipal Hospitals, said, “We would like to thank Bangalore City Traffic Police and BBMP for their support to make the QR code initiative a success. The heart-shaped signal at the traffic junction is a call to everyone that every life counts and not to neglect their own hearts.”
A CPR training was also organized at Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, with the help of a mannequin (dummy). The red and green lights on the dummy indicated the compression level exerted on the chest during CPR, with the green blink indicating the right amount of pressure applied on the affected person.
The codes were initially installed at key traffic junctions including Manipal Old Airport, Trinity Circle, Brigade Road, Anil Kimble LIC, MG Road, Cubbon Park, Indian Express, Mekhri Circle, Hebbal under the flyover, Kundangalli Sahakar Nagar, Sankey Road, Yeshwanthpur Main, Whitefield Bigbazar, Ofarm, Kundanhalli, Sarjapur, Sony World Koramangala, Jayanagar, Lalbagh West and Townhall.