A passenger on a bus suffered a heart attack and collapsed, causing his heart to stop. While other passengers tried to revive him by splashing water and shaking him, there was no response. A student on the bus stepped in and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to help save his life. She continued CPR not only on the bus but also in an autorickshaw until they reached the hospital. The doctors at the hospital quickly began treatment, successfully saving the man’s life.
The student, Ankita Thool, is in her final year of Mass Communication at Dhanwate National College. Dr. Pankaj Harkut, a cardiologist, was one of the doctors who helped save the man. The incident happened on a bus travelling from Wardha to Nagpur, which had about 25 passengers on board. The 55-year-old man suddenly stood up from his seat and collapsed at Chhatrapati Square in Nagpur. While other passengers attempted to revive him, Ankita, who was on her way to a bank exam scheduled for 12 pm, stepped in to help. The incident occurred at 10 am.
Ankita pushed through the crowd of passengers and started chest compressions (CPR) with both hands. When the bus stopped near the Sai temple on Wardha Road, the passengers moved the man into an autorickshaw, and Ankita joined them. She continued performing CPR in the autorickshaw as the driver quickly took them to Swastham Super Specialty Hospital. There, cardiologists Dr. Pankaj Harkut, Dr. Yogesh Kolamkar, Dr. Sohal Parate, and their team began treatment right away. They performed primary angioplasty, a crucial procedure that helped save the man’s life. After seven days of treatment, the patient recovered and was out of danger.
According to local media reports, Ankita received CPR training during a medical camp organized by her college, but she had never used it in a real-life situation until this moment. While performing CPR on the bus, she felt scared, but she stayed focused on saving the man’s life. After the doctors took over, Ankita headed directly to Wadi for her bank exam. Despite the stress of the situation, she felt a deep satisfaction knowing that her actions helped save a life.
Dr. Harkut emphasized that heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrests can occur anytime, anywhere. Administering CPR quickly and getting the person to a hospital can be life-saving, as CPR helps maintain blood flow to the heart, brain, and other vital organs.