Mission Swasth Kavach: Ludhiana district’s life-saving drive achieves milestone

In a powerful celebration of health, hope and youth empowerment, the district administration and the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) marked the completion of Phase 1 and launched Phase 2 of the Mission Swasth Kavach on Friday on the occasion of Children’s Day.

Phase I achievements

Phase I built a grassroots health force by training 50,000 students and 1,000 teachers across 80 schools in CPR and blood pressure monitoring, with teachers as health mentors and students as health guardians. The campaign screened five lakh residents, held 86 awareness sessions for 10,000 industrial workers and boosted BP control rates from 8 per cent to 49 per cent within three months. Of those screened, 8,000 were diagnosed with hypertension and placed on medication.

“We wanted to empower children with knowledge — not only about hypertension but also how to measure blood pressure and understand its impact,” said Dr Bishav Mohan, chief cardiologist and coordinator of Hero DMC Heart Institute (HDHI).

Phase II vision

Phase II will train five lakh Ludhiana citizens in CPR and BP monitoring, reaching sportspersons, gym-goers and community groups. Inspired by the ICMR’s Hypertension Control Initiative, it unites health, education and industry for lasting impact. Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain called it “a community-driven movement for a healthier, stronger Ludhiana,” praising the administration–academia–healthcare collaboration as a national benchmark and crediting Dr Bishav Mohan for Phase I’s success.

Youth empowerment

Stories of change filled the auditorium. Simran Kaur, a student of Class 10, said CPR training inspired her dream of becoming a doctor while Raghav, studying in Class IX, proudly taught the skill to his younger brother — proof of youth empowerment at the heart of Mission Swasth Kavach.

“When a child learns CPR, they don’t just save lives, they become ambassadors of care and courage,” said Dr Bishav Mohan.

Training 50,000 students was a landmark achievement, noted Jain, adding that Phase II would take the mission deeper into communities. The event featured CPR and BP demonstrations by DMCH doctors and cultural performances by students, underscoring the spirit of collaboration.

As Phase II begins, Mission Swasth Kavach also emerges as a movement of youth-led change where knowledge empowers and empowerment transforms lives.