Khairy Jamaluddin: All public facilities and transportation services must have AED devices by 2025

The government has made it mandatory for the installation of automated external defibrillator (AED) devices in public facilities by 2025, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

An AED is a medical device to analyze the heart rhythm and deliver electric shocks to victims of ventricular fibrillation to restore their heart rhythm if cardiac arrest occurs, especially in public places.

Khairy said the matter would be brought up to the National Council for the local governments to support its implementation, in line with the government’s decision this morning to approve the AED public access, which was to place the device in public areas.

Khairy said the ministry will start with a programme called MyAED Komuniti (MyAED Community). 100 AEDs will be provided as a start throughout the country.

Khairy said the AED installation project will be launched this June with an allocation of RM3 million.

“In this phase, owners of premises will also prepare and improve the AED system, including participating in training provided,” he said at a press conference.

Meanwhile, Khairy also said the Ambulance Hotspot project, which was a continuation of the pilot project implemented last year, would add 15 hotspot localities nationwide, bringing the total hotspots to 20.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA)

Is an electrical disturbance of the heart rhythm that causes the heart to stop beating. When this happens, your blood stops flowing to the brain and other important organs of the body. SCA can happen in people who have no known heart disease. It can be life-threatening and usually causes death if it is not treated within minutes.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the initial use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) increase the likelihood of survival in SCA. Therefore it is important for everyone to be equipped with the lifesaving skill of First Aid, CPR & AED. Besides, it is recommended to have AED installed in public facilities.

AEDs are designed to be used by non-medical personnel. That includes you!

Anyone can use (and should use) an AED in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. CPR along with AED can dramatically increase survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest.

Buy an AED ➡️