KUCHING: Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death in Sarawak, prompting the state government to increase the placement of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in public areas.
Deputy Premier, Datuk Amar Dr. Sim Kui Hian, said this is crucial as statistics show that heart attacks are occurring more frequently, even among younger people.
“Many people are unaware that their arteries are blocked and, more worryingly, one in four victims dies of a heart attack while sleeping, without ever receiving treatment.
“That is why the use of AEDs is a priority. The technology has advanced, with longer battery life and an easy-to-understand operating system,” he said.
He said this at the Lions and Leos Mental Health &Life Saving Skills Training Project at Dewan Saati, Sarawak United People’s (SUPP) headquarters here on Sunday.
The programme gathered more than 120 members from 10 secondary schools and 11 Lions Clubs around Kuching, who were exposed to basic CPR knowledge and the use of AED machines.
Dr Sim stressed that AEDs can only be effective if society is also skilled in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
“This machine can deliver an electric shock to restore a heartbeat, but it will not teach you how to place the patient on the floor, open the airway, or provide rescue breaths.
“All of these are basic skills that must be learned before handling an AED,” he said.
Dr Sim said while public health policies may mandate AEDs in public places, they would be meaningless without basic training for the public.
“Policies are useless if people dont know how to use them. That is why CPR training such as this is so important for Lions, Leos, and the wider community,” he explained.
He emphasised that continuous awareness and training programmes must be intensified in schools, offices, and public places so that more people are confident to act in emergencies.
“Heart attacks do not discriminate by age or background. With awareness and skills, we can save more lives,” he said.
