KOTA KINABALU: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) literacy among Malaysians are still low as compared to developed countries, said Sabah Heart Safe chairperson Dr Shazharn Zain.
"In Malaysia, the awareness of the importance of CPR education is still lacking compared to most developed nations where CPR literacy in the community can reach up to 20 per cent.
"A sudden cardiac arrest victim still has a high chance of being revived if resuscitation is carried out as soon as possible after the heart stops," he said, adding the survival rate for collapsed victim could reach over 75 per cent.
Dr Shazharn added that when sudden cardiac arrest occurs, the heart stops beating and if no CPR is carried out immediately, all organs In the body start to suffer damage within minutes.
He said it is crucial that CPR is performed during the first four minutes after cardiac arrest occurs can mean the difference between life and death.
"This is why we need to ensure a large number of CPR providers within the community.
"A common misnomer is that sudden cardiac arrest only occurs in older heart attack victims, but it could happen to any age and from all sorts of other causes such as electrocution, drowning , choking and even poisoning," Dr Shazharn added.
On Saturday, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital II organised an inaugural mass community CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training programme here to have more people in Sabah to learn the life-saving skills.
During the session, 749 participants were taught the correct method of performing CPR and operate an AED at Kota Kinabalu Sports Complex.
The programme was officiated by Sabah Health and People's Wellbeing Minister Datuk Frankie Poon.