KUALA LUMPUR: By 2025, all public facilities and transportation services will be required to have an automated external defibrillator (AED), says Khairy Jamaluddin.
According to the Health Minister, the first phase will be implemented this year, with all public and private establishments and public transportation, voluntarily providing AED devices.
“During this phase, owners of premises will also prepare and upgrade the AED system, including participation in training given by the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRSC) and St John Ambulance Malaysia (SJM),” he said at a news conference after signing an MOU between the MRSC and SJM on Friday (March 25).
After the MOU signing, Khairy launched the ambulance hotspot and MyAED Community projects, which are joint initiatives between the Health Ministry, MRSC, and SJM.
On April 1, additional 15 ambulance hotspot locations will be deployed, bringing the total number of hotspot locations to 20.
“This project has been budgeted RM5 million,” he stated.
For the MyAED Community project, Khairy stated 100 AEDs would be distributed around the country on June 1st, with said number gradually increasing.
“Access to AED devices and trained communities will increase a patient’s chances of survival by two to three times.”
“Doctors have stated that the first few minutes following a heart attack are important, and if AEDs are provided, the chances of recovery are increased,” he said.
The MyAED project has been allotted RM3 million, according to Khairy.
He added that since October 2021, the Health Ministry, MRSC, and SJM have been discussing the program.
An AED is a medical device that analyses heart rhythm and administers an electric shock to patients with ventricular fibrillation in order to restore their heartbeat in the event of cardiac arrest.
Source: thestar.com.my
