A joint community outreach programme, Selangor Heart Safe Mass Training, is aiming to empower the public with lifesaving resuscitation skills by enabling people to quickly react to cardiac emergencies.
The initiative is set to be one of the first large-scale public cardiopulmonary resuscitations (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training sessions in Selangor.
It will be held on April 26, from 1pm to 6pm, at Megah Rise Mall in Petaling Jaya.
According to the Statistics Department, coronary disease was one of the main leading causes of death for the past two decades except in 2021 where Covid-19 topped the list.
Sudden cardiac arrest can affect anyone, anytime – even young, healthy individuals and children.
The only chance for survival is if CPR is started immediately to preserve oxygen flow to the brain and vital organs.
Sudden cardiac arrest sufferers face two potential outcomes: survive and suffer permanent brain damage or ultimately lose their lives.
According to Datuk Dr Luah Lean Wah, president of Penang Heart Safe Society (PHSS) and Malaysian Resuscitation Association (MyRES), those who suffer sudden cardiac arrest have less than a 1% survival rate in Malaysia.
Studies have found that in cases of sudden cardiac arrest presented as ventricular fibrillation, immediate CPR and use of AED within three minutes of collapse increases the chances of survival to as high as 70%.
In efforts to improve these odds, PHSS, Selangor Committee on Resuscitation Training (Scort), Alliance for a Safe Community (Ikatan), PPB Group Bhd and its property division PPB Properties came together to jointly organise the initiative.
The training aims to foster a safer, more responsive community, ultimately improving survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest as well as enhancing overall public health outcomes.
Among the main objectives of the initiative are to increase public awareness on sudden cardiac arrest, train community members on life-saving skills, and introduce the functions of an AED device and share knowledge on how to use AED.
One highlight is a one-hour, hands-on CPR and AED training sessions with in-depth guidance by medical professionals.
Participants will learn lifesaving skills to determine if a patient had suffered from sudden cardiac arrest and how to carry out high-quality CPR and use an AED properly.
The mall’s ground floor Main Atrium will also host interactive exhibits, including an experiential corner for children to be exposed to CPR and AED techniques.
They can also take on an interactive challenge where they can win prizes.
Participants may also challenge each other with their acquired CPR skills, using a CPR mannequin which will provide real-time feedback on compression depth, rate and technique.
The event is open to all individuals aged 12 and above.
Walk-in is possible.
All participants are encouraged to attend the training wearing long pants.
No fee is charged but places are limited.
