KUCHING: Appealing for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training to be made compulsory in all institutions of learning nationwide is indeed a good idea for the community to acquire CPR knowledge, according to Dr Helmy Hazmi.
The associate professor attached to Universiti Malaysia Sarawak’s (UNIMAS) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences emphasised that CPR and first aid are important basic life skills that should be part of being a responsible Malaysian citizen.
“CPR knowledge should not be limited to medical personnel alone but should also be accessible to the community,” when contacted by New Sarawak Tribune.
He explained that the majority of heart attacks occur outside of the hospital setting, where medical personnel are not readily available.
“The first five minutes after a heart attack are crucial for the patient’s survival. Bystanders who initiate CPR at that time may double or triple the victim’s chances of survival.
“When a child, a teenager, or any other family member knows how to initiate CPR in the event that a heart attack occurs at home, wouldn’t that do wonders for the patient while waiting for medical help?
“While a recent study revealed that the average age of Malaysians who suffer a heart attack is 58 years old, compared to 63 in Thailand and 68 in Singapore, there are quite a substantial number of Malaysians who suffer from heart attacks at a younger age while still being in their productive years. This further highlights the need to make CPR training compulsory,” he stressed.
Referring to statistics provided by the Health Ministry, Dr Helmy expressed concern over the low percentage of cardiac arrest patients (22.6 percent) receiving CPR intervention from bystanders.
“Another thing we might notice is that more Automated External Defibrillators, or AEDs, are installed in many public places because of the increased awareness of having such devices.
“AEDs are public friendly devices that deliver a shock to restore a normal heart rhythm. With basic first aid and CPR training, the public will increase their confidence in using them.
“CPR and AEDs are important components in the Chain of Survival link that increase the chances of survival for cardiac arrest patients,” he added.
Regarding the implementation of CPR training in schools, Dr Helmy suggested that the approach and difficulty level should be tailored to the age group of the children.
However, he acknowledged that this could be challenging due to a limited number of instructors proficient in teaching CPR to children.
Furthermore, Dr Helmy stressed the importance of educating the public about conveying vital information accurately when calling for an ambulance.
“While teaching CPR is crucial, we must go back to the root cause of why CPR is initiated in the first place.
“Cardiovascular disease is the biggest factor contributing to heart attacks. Hence, I urge members of the public to adopt a healthy lifestyle by practising the Malaysian Healthy Plate which emphasises more vegetables and fruit, being physically active, and cutting down on smoking,” he pointed out.
Datuk Seri Ang Lai Soon, chairman and commander of St John Ambulance Sarawak (SJAS), recently appealed to the Unity Government to make CPR training compulsory in all institutions of learning nationwide.
