Public defibrillators to be installed across Cyprus and citizens to be trained in first aid

Cyprus Minister of Health Michalis Damianos reminded that in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest, the first few minutes are crucial, as simple actions by bystanders can save a person’s life. He made this statement ahead of World Restart a Heart Day, which is observed on October 16.

According to the minister, around 300,000 cases of cardiac arrest occur every year in Europe outside hospitals — that is, one case every two minutes. Nearly half of them happen in the presence of other people who often do not know how to respond.

Damianos emphasized that timely recognition of cardiac arrest symptoms, immediate initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of a defibrillator can double or even triple a victim’s chances of survival.

As part of the campaign, the Ministry of Health plans to train more than 10,000 Cyprus residents in first aid skills and the use of automated external defibrillators. The project is carried out under the slogan “YOU CAN…”, and its goal is to make both the equipment and the knowledge as accessible as possible to everyone.

Defibrillators will be installed in public areas and remote regions — they will be placed in special “wall safes.” To access a device in an emergency, one must call the ambulance service, where an operator will provide the code to open it.

The minister thanked the Cyprus Resuscitation Council (KYSAN), which has been cooperating with the government for over 20 years in public first aid training. He noted that even minimal knowledge can be crucial: “Sometimes it only takes a few minutes to bring a heart back to life.”