Impact
The project aims at improving the preventive health care and social services and focus to the effective out-of-hospital management of cardiac arrest victims, as well as incidents requiring provision of first aid, within the urban area.
Health Actions
Training of citizens and medical staff of the Municipalities of Kalamaria & Ohrid in Basic Life Support (BLS) in Instant Life Support (ILS). Upgrade of medical equipment for 8 Health Units in Thessaloniki and Ohrid. Installation of Automated External Defibrillators (AED) in key locations
The Framework
Interreg IPA Cross-border Cooperation Programme CCI 2014 TC 16 I5CB 009
The Interreg IPA CBC Programme CCI 2014 TC 16 I5CB 009 is a European Territorial Cooperation Programme that supports regional cooperation between Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia. The Programme's overall objective is to enhance territorial cohesion by improving living standards and employment opportunities holding respect to the environment and by using the natural resources for upgrading of the tourism product
The two Priority Axes of the Programme are:
- Development and Support of Local Economy
- Protection of Environment – Transportation
Regions involved:
Greece / 5 Nuts III / Regions: Thessaloniki, Pella, Kilkis, Serres and Florina
Republic of North Macedonia / 4 Nuts III / Regions: Pelagonia, Vardar, Southeast and Southwest
Priority Axis 1. Development and Support of Local Economy
The PA1. Development and Support of Local Economy promotes employment and mobility of human resources as well as aims to improve health and social investments and services. It supports the protection of natural and cultural heritage in order to improve the attractiveness and encourage tourism in the cross-border area.
Specific Objectives
1.1: Create employment opportunities for educated graduates by exploiting comparative advantages of the crossborder area, preferably with the use of innovative tools and practices
1.2: Improvement of preventive health care and social services of children and elderly population mainly in the rural crossborder areas
1.3: Improve the attractiveness and promote tourism in the cross-border area by promoting and capitalizing natural and cultural assets
Budget
The total budget allocated to the Programme is 45.470.066,00€, out of which 38.649.552,00€ (85%) is Union Support and the 6.820.514,00€ (15%) the National Counterpart.
Partners
4th Health District of Macedonia Thrace
Greece
Municipality of Kalamaria
Greece
Institute for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of cardiovascular disease St.Stefan Ohrid
North Macedonia
Public Health Institution Health Home Ohrid
North Macedonia
Outputs & Results
The Heart Safe Cities project ensured lasting impact by providing medical equipment, AEDs, and BLS training, integrating sustainability into municipal services
It fosters cross-border cooperation, expands emergency preparedness, and promotes long-term resilience through partnerships, training programs, and future project replication. The main project deliverables are available and open to anyone interested through teh following link
Heart Safe Cities Web App
A web application providing real-time information on the nearest AED stations in Kalamaria and Ohrid, with multilingual support and mobile accessibility.
It also includes a database of certified BLS instructors from the program area, facilitating networking and participation in future training sessions.
Chain of Survival
In 1991, the American Heart Association (AHA) published “Improving Survival from Sudden Cardiac Arrest: The Chain of Survival Concept.” This paper identified the idea that all communities should adopt the principle of early defibrillation and that all personnel who are expected, as part of their professional duties, to perform basic CPR, should be equipped with an AED and be trained to operate it.