The government has urged shopping malls and supermarkets to have their own Automated External Defibrillator (AED) devices that can be used to treat the needs.
“The AED should also be displayed in a public area which is easily accessible in case of an emergency.” State Health Committee chairman Dr Afif Bahardin said
“We are happy that the use of AED is championed by organisations such as Hui Yin Seh which focuses on community welfare.”
“However, there seems to be poor response from the corporate sector and private organisations.”
“If schools and religious institutions can have their own AED, why not the shopping malls and hotels?,” he said at the mass AED and CPR programme at Wisma Hui Yin Seh in Lintang Paya Terubong 3 in Ayer Itam, Penang, on Sunday.
He added that Penang would have a policy for buildings to be equipped with AED units.
“We encourage private institutions to make the move instead of waiting until the matter is made compulsory,” he said.
He added that Penang has about 50 AED units installed in public places and more than 25,000 people trained in CPR and AED.
ZOLL Medical Corporation given an AED unit to Hui Yin Seh during the event which was joined by over 200 participants.
An AED is a portable device that diagnoses the heart’s rhythm. It can be used to send electric shocks to the heart to try restore a normal rhythm.
Anyone who has minimal CPR and AED knowledges can use the device to help save a life.
And when the device is opened, there will be a voice instruction that will help people place pads on the chest and deliver electric shocks correctly.
There are also instructions in diagrams on the unit to show users how to stick the electrode-sensor pads on the body parts for someone who having a cardiac arrest.
Through the pads, the AED’s computer will diagnoses the patient’s heart rhythm and issue an electric shock if needed.
Separately, Dr Afif urged the people to download the ‘Predict and Beat Dengue’ app in their mobile phones to alert them when they entered a dengue hotspot. It is a free app that available via Google Play Store and Apple App Store, is part of the state’s efforts to combat dengue in Penang.
Source: thestar.com.my
