Sweden launches national campaign to teach public bleeding control and CPR

Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare will roll out a nationwide campaign to train the public in stopping severe bleeding and performing basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), part of broader efforts to strengthen civilian defense, public broadcaster SVT reports.

Health Minister Elisabet Lann announced the initiative at a Tuesday press briefing, emphasizing its dual purpose in both wartime preparedness and peacetime emergencies. “We know this is useful even in peacetime—during accidents,” Lann said, noting that bystanders, not medical personnel, are often first on the scene.

The campaign aligns with a five-year plan to train 10,800 civilians—primarily young adults—for potential mobilization in healthcare roles during crises. Of these, 7,500 will follow a conscription-style model, studying to work in hospitals or field settings if conflict arises.

Authorities also tasked a special investigator with reviewing state responsibility for blood donations amid shortages, particularly near major cities. Björn Eriksson, the board’s director-general, urged increased donations and advised households to stockpile a month’s supply of essential medications, citing lessons from Ukraine’s war.

“Experience from Ukraine shows the better prepared individuals are, the better we can support each other,” Eriksson said.