Launching the automatic defibrillator project for the community in Vietnam

Representative ofFPT Group awarded sponsorship to implement the automatic defibrillator (AED) project to support the community.

The project implementation aims at two goals: supplementing first aid equipment and raising awareness and skills, thereby improving the effectiveness of initial emergency care in the community, especially in situations of cardiac arrest occurring outside of medical facilities.

AEDs play a very important role. Some studies in the world show that the survival rate reaches 74% if the patient is shocked by an AED within the first 3 minutes after cardiac arrest. However, in Vietnam, awareness of this device is very limited and in out-of-hospital deaths, there are almost no cases where the victim is given an AED at the scene.

Within the framework of cooperation, FPT Corporation sponsored Hanoi Medical University Hospital with 2 billion VND to implement the project. Accordingly, about 50 AED machines will be installed at commune and ward health stations in Da Nang city - one of the largest tourist destinations in the country.

Along with the characteristics of a coastal tourist city, after merging some areas of Quang Nam, the city still has "blank areas" in terms of emergency medical care when many medical stations are not equipped with modern defibrillators and have not received specialized training in CPR. Therefore, adding AED devices at the grassroots level and public places is necessary to improve response capabilities and ensure safety for residents and tourists.

Every year, Vietnam has about 200,000 people die from cardiovascular diseases. This is an alarming number, especially in the context of limited emergency care outside the hospital.

According to survey data, the mortality rate of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients in Vietnam is very high, up to 96.7%; meanwhile, the rate of people knowing about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is very low, only 8.7%... These numbers are significantly lower than other countries such as the UK (70%), Singapore (56.2%), and Thailand (40.4%)...

Sharing at the announcement ceremony, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Lan Hieu, Director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital, said that the idea of equipping the community with automatic defibrillators had been in his mind for many years, after witnessing the popularity of this device in public places in developed countries. AEDs not only save lives but also create safety confidence for residents and tourists. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, many commune-level health workers still do not know how to use AEDs.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Lan Hieu said that the implementation team will closely follow the project, train and supervise the use of the machine, and hopes that with the cooperation of businesses and the community, the model will be replicated in many localities, contributing to building a more civilized and safer living environment.

AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is a compact electrical shock generator that can suppress certain arrhythmias in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. When turned on, the generator provides step-by-step visual instructions in Vietnamese; automatically analyzes the heart rate and shock index when appropriate.

In particular, the system is capable of recording operations, heart rate data and audio signals during the emergency process, creating a transparent basis in terms of expertise and law, helping people feel more confident when participating in saving lives.

Representing the accompanying enterprise, Mr. Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of FPT Corporation, assessed that the event took place at the right time when the Politburo had just issued Resolution 72-NQ/TW on strengthening the protection, care and improvement of people's health, which has special significance, because in the happiness of each person, health must be put first. And the machine is a practical means to contribute to that.

Mr. Binh shared that right from the proposal of Professor, Dr. Nguyen Lan Hieu, FPT Corporation decided to immediately accompany the project, considering this as the first step to contribute to building a more civilized and safer society, where people have more confidence in community health care. FPT will evaluate and be ready to accompany the project in expanding its scale in other localities.
PV (synthesis)

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/khoi-dong-du-an-may-khu-rung-tim-tu-dong-cho-cong-dong-tai-viet-nam-521242.html