37 heart attack deaths daily prompt urgent emergency response training for educators
With Malaysia recording 37 heart attack deaths daily, thirty-five school staff members have completed life-saving emergency response training that could help reverse the nation's dismal survival statistics.
The Student Management Assistants (Pembantu Pengurusan Murid) from schools across Johor recently completed a comprehensive two-day programme covering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillator (AED) usage, and basic first aid at the Johor State Education Department from June 25-26.
The training comes as Malaysia faces a stark reality: less than one per cent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims survive, compared to over 25 per cent in developed countries where CPR knowledge is widespread.
Critical gap in emergency response
Heart disease remains the leading cause of premature deaths in Malaysia, accounting for 18.4 per cent of medically certified deaths among people aged 30-69 in 2022. Yet only 0.11% of out-of-hospital heart attacks in Malaysia receive CPR from the general public, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia.
For every minute that CPR is delayed during a cardiac arrest, the chance of survival decreases by 7-10 per cent. With ambulance response times in Malaysia often exceeding 15 minutes, having trained first responders in schools becomes critical.
Recent tragic incidents underscore this need. In July 2019, a two-year-old girl in Selayang died after choking on bread at her babysitter's house, while in 2018, a seven-year-old boy in Kedah died after choking on a rambutan seed.
Potential to save thousands
Research indicates that proper emergency response training could save thousands of lives annually in Malaysia. Approximately 2,500 lives could be saved from choking incidents alone, while 29,000 lives could be saved from heart attacks if more people had CPR training.
The inaugural programme was jointly organised by the Johor State Education Department (JPN Johor), Malaysian Red Crescent Johor Bahru (MRCJB) Branch, and Rotary Club of Tebrau (RCT).
Building community resilience
"Teaching CPR to a wider community will definitely make an impact in emergency situations. We would love to work with other communities where needed," said Dr. A.R. Leenah Devi Rajah, President of RCT.
The closing ceremony was attended by Ali@Zainalabidin Syed Mohamed, Deputy Director (Planning and Management Sector) of JPN Johor, alongside representatives from the partnering organisations. These included RCT Vice President Dr. Bala Edwin Singam, MRCJB Vice Chairman Tan Yap Hau, and RCT Project Organiser Koh Yee Mei.
“The Malaysian Red Crescent has long advocated for such training programmes, noting a "general lack of first aid knowledge among the public." Many individuals don't recognise the importance of first aid training until they encounter an emergency,” said Tan.
"This course is about more than just theory. It empowers our school staff with the skills and confidence to act fast in emergencies," said Koh.
Looking ahead
This initiative reflects growing recognition that emergency preparedness must extend beyond healthcare professionals. The Malaysian government has announced plans to make AEDs mandatory at public facilities by 2025, with increasing calls for first aid training in school curricula and workplace safety programmes.
The success of this Johor programme could serve as a model for similar initiatives across Malaysia, potentially creating a network of capable first responders who can make the critical difference between life and death in emergency situations.
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