Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin speaks to the media after a working visit to Malaysian Red Crescent Society’s national headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, March 25, 2022. — Bernama pic
KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — 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 analyse 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.
“We will start with a programme known as a network of MyAED Komuniti (MyAED Community) where the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (PBSM) and St John Ambulance Malaysia (SJAM) will provide 100 AEDs as a start throughout the country.”
“They are also responsible for maintaining the AEDs and, most importantly, training volunteers to use the device,” he told reporters after a working visit to PBSM’s national headquarters here today. — Bernama