Gadkari’s collapse spurs need for first aid awareness
Soaring temperatures and hectic election campaigning took their toll on senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who collapsed on the dais after suffering a bout of dizziness midway during his speech in Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district last week.
Gadkari, who is also a diabetic, fainted during his speech after feeling dizzy and was immediately carried away by those on stage. However, his condition stabilised soon after, and he posted on X (formerly Twitter), “I felt discomfort due to the heat at the rally in Pusad, Maharashtra. But now I am completely healthy….”
“This fainting is caused due to vasovagal syncope, a common and benign but often misunderstood condition,” explains Dr. Tarun Kumar, Professor of Cardiology at ABVIMS and a doctor at RML Hospital, Delhi, in an interview with Health on Air.