First Aid in the Age of Misinformation

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India is witnessing a rise in viral first aid content. Clips of Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), dramatic rescues, and improvised interventions are being widely circulated and praised as heroic. Yet, many of these techniques are medically unsound, sometimes administered to conscious patients or drawn from myths such as ‘cough CPR’. While such content resonates in an age of instant information and collective admiration for good Samaritans, it also illustrates a troubling gap that a majority of the population is ill-equipped to deal with evidence-based first aid knowledge. Bystander CPR is attempted in only ~1.3–9.8 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) in India, compared to ~40 percent in countries such as Japan and the United States. Moreover, fewer than 2 percent of Indians have ever received formal CPR instruction.

With India’s population above the age of 60 projected to reach 193 million by 2030, the number of medical emergencies in public spaces is also expected to rise.

India records over 200,000 road accident deaths annually, nearly half of which could be prevented with timely first aid. Beyond accidents, cardiac illness continues to persist as a leading cause of death. With India’s population above the age of 60 projected to reach 193 million by 2030, the number of medical emergencies in public spaces is also expected to rise. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are also virtually non-existent in places with high footfall. For instance, in a 2024 RTI (Right to Information) application, only six out of Delhi Metro's 288 stations were reported to have defibrillators. Even in offices of the emerging services sector, there continues to be a lack of organised emergency response or response teams trained in such skills. In schools, CPR is certainly included in the books and syllabi, but seldom taught as a skill. Against this backdrop, the age of misinformation risks promoting inadequate/poor first aid techniques, resulting in missed opportunities to save lives. Figure 1 below explains the key terms used in this context, including CPR, Basic Life Support (BLS), and OHCA, for clarity.

Figure 1: Key Terms related to the Emergency Preparedness context

Source: Prioritising first aid: CPR and BLS training for a healthier India

Low Preparedness and High Stakes

First aid readiness in India remains alarmingly inadequate/critically low. The result is a survival rate of less than 10 percent for OHCAs in India, compared to the 20-30 percent in nations with entrenched community-level training. The shortcoming is not limited to training volumes. Even when people have some exposure to CPR, hesitation is common, driven by uncertainties around using the correct technique, fear of legal consequences, and the absence of real-time guidance from emergency dispatchers. This creates a deficit that translates into thousands of preventable deaths each year. All this despite the Good Samaritan Law of 2016, which granted immunity to rescuers of accident victims. Poor understanding and chronic suspicion have blunted the much-anticipated effect of the law, and numerous victims have been deprived of help in those fateful minutes before professional attention arrives at the scene.

In 2023, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences organised a nationwide CPR awareness campaign that attracted over two million participants in a single day, indicating that there is latent public demand when opportunities are available.

Systemic frailty is another factor aggravating this challenge. First aid training has never been made a mandatory aspect of education or workplace safety in anything except a narrow segment of industrial environments. In 2023, the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences organised a nationwide CPR awareness campaign that attracted over two million participants in a single day, indicating that there is latent public demand when opportunities are available. The University Grants Commission had even directed universities to include BLS in the curriculum. Furthermore, in 2022, a Private Member’s Bill (PMB) was introduced in Parliament proposing compulsory CPR training in schools. Evidence from a study that trained over 4,500 students in 15 schools further corroborates the fact that even teenagers can be taught the art of CPR. These efforts demonstrate traction, but translating them into universal, standardised practice is the real challenge.

A First-Aid Ready Nation

To bridge the gap between do-good viral moments and concrete real-world action, India must employ a multifaceted policy-based approach. This means weaving first aid into daily life through legislation, education, and infrastructure. Some measures are already in place but poorly enforced, while others are low-hanging fruit that warrant urgent action. The following is a list of some important steps and suggestions to promote correct practices without deterring the public:

1. Making CPR and basic first aid part of the school curriculum and college orientations: Countries such as Norway and Japan introduced CPR training in schools and now enjoy much higher cardiac arrest survival rates than India. India must draw lessons from such models. An initial step has been taken with mandatory BLS modules in universities; however, this should be extended to schools as well, potentially through integration into the National Education Policy. Educating children early not only equips them with skills but also normalises a culture of helping. By the time youth reach driving age or workforce entry, they should possess certified first aid skills (it could be thought of as a ‘skill certificate,’ as fundamental as a diploma).
2. Workplace Preparedness and Training: According to the Factories Act 1948, industrial establishments in India are legally required to have a first aid box for every 150 workers and personnel trained in first aid to be in charge. However, similar mandates don’t cover the vast service sector and offices. Employers should voluntarily adopt policies to train a significant portion of their staff in first aid (one trained responder for every 10 employees can be recommended). This is especially critical as the workforce ages and lifestyle disease emergencies (heart attacks, strokes, diabetic emergencies) become more common on the job. A senior executive collapsing at a meeting or a factory worker in cardiac arrest should not have to wait for an ambulance while colleagues stand by helplessly.
3. Equipping Public Spaces: Many public locations in India lack emergency medical equipment. In 2025, the Indian Railways announced that it would provide medical kits (with essential medicines, equipment, and even oxygen) at every station and on all passenger trains. It also stated that it will upskill all its frontline rail staff to administer first aid. This ambitious move—if implemented—will set a benchmark for other transit systems as well. City bus services and inter-city buses must also comply with safety norms. Notably, the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 already mandates that all transport vehicles carry a first aid kit. Yet compliance is spotty; a survey in Pune revealed that only 17 of 50 public buses had the required kit onboard, and some of these ‘kits’ were just empty boxes. Strict enforcement of such laws, regular audits, and penalties for non-compliance can ensure that public transport is not a weak link in emergency response. Likewise, government buildings, malls, airports, and bus terminals should be equipped with first aid stations and AEDs, with staff (security guards, attendants) trained to use them.
4. Encouraging Home and Community Readiness: Readiness for first aid must also be developed at the household level. Ideally, each house should have a first aid kit, but most houses often fail to have one. For instance, a survey conducted in rural Kerala reported first aid kits in only ~38 percent of homes. Public education campaigns can encourage households to keep basic supplies and learn simple skills to manage common injuries or sudden illnesses until emergency responders arrive. Community health workers and local clinics can also organise workshops on making home emergency plans, especially for caregivers of the elderly or small children. In housing societies and villages, residents could pool resources to arrange first aid training camps.
5. Strengthening Public Awareness: To truly encourage ‘good Samaritan’ behaviour, people must be confident in their knowledge of first aid as well as administering it. They must also have the assurance that they would be supported for it, legally. This calls for clear health communication guidelines and initiatives from authorities. First, the government and healthcare organisations could amplify public education on verified first aid techniques via school curricula, television campaigns, and social media. Well-produced videos by trusted bodies (such as the Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, or AIIMS) demonstrating CPR, the Heimlich manoeuvre, and wound care could go viral for the right reasons, counterbalancing the dubious content. Second, misinformation must be tackled head-on. Health experts debunking a viral myth should be given platforms to reach the same audience that the myth did. Finally, reinforce the Good Samaritan Law in public messaging; people should repeatedly hear that they will not be harassed for trying to help. Public-service announcements and even signage at highways, metro stations, and other high-traffic areas can remind citizens. Removing the fear of repercussions and replacing it with a sense of civic duty should be crucial.

Yet compliance is spotty; a survey in Pune revealed that only 17 of 50 public buses had the required kit onboard, and some of these ‘kits’ were just empty boxes.

India’s progress towards becoming a health-secure society will involve training millions of ordinary citizens, upgrading its public infrastructure, and dispelling various myths that surround the issue. The age of virality can be an asset if leveraged well. On this World First Aid Day, the message for policymakers, content creators, and the public alike should be to embrace evidence-based first aid knowledge. Empowering the citizenry with skills and confidence, so that when a crisis strikes, the nearest helping hand is both willing and able, and that feel-good stories are backed by real science, and more lives are genuinely saved.

K.S. Uplabdh Gopal is an Associate Fellow with the Health Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation.

• Healthcare
• India
• cardiac arrests in india
• cardio pulmonary resuscitation
• cardio pulmonary resuscitation procedure
• health secure society
• international first aid day
• world first aid day
• world first aid day 2025

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