18000AEDstobeplacedinSZ

From: Shenzhen Daily

Updated: 2017-08-24 09:08

SHENZHEN has launched a plan to place automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public places to offer first-aid treatment for patients of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

By the end of 2026, the city will have installed at least 18,000 AEDs in public places to reach the advanced international level of having 100 AEDs for every 100,000 people, the city"s health and family planning commission announced Monday.

The announcement was in response to a proposal put forward earlier this year. In a move to change the status quo of the city"s low survival rate for victims of SCA, a number of deputies to the Shenzhen Municipal People"s Congress submitted a proposal about the promotion of AED public welfare projects and the improvement of the public life safety system during the two sessions this year.

According to a lawmaker Xie Hu, early intervention for pre-hospital care is the key to improving the survival rate. Taking SCA as an example, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation performed within four minutes can significantly improve the survival rate. However, the current pre-hospital care mode in Shenzhen is too dependent on emergency centers, and the average time it takes an ambulance to arrive at the scene is between 15 and 20 minutes. It is easy for the critically ill to miss the "golden emergency period."

Statistics show that the survival rate for SCA pre-hospital care patients in international metropolises like New York and Tokyo is about 15 percent, while in some key areas it is even close to 100 percent. In Shenzhen, the rate is less than 1 percent.

Xie further explained that there are three reasons for the gap. "Defibrillation is the most effective treatment at the onset of ventricular fibrillation. AEDs are portable and easy to operate even for a layperson. Performing CPR on a patient with the nearby AED can save rescue time before medical staff arrives." He suggested that a corresponding number of AEDs be placed in the city"s key public areas, such as crowded railway stations, parks and playgrounds. Also, emergency drills and public training should be organized regularly.

The commission said that Shenzhen is planning to gradually place AEDs in public places. But without further legal support, it is necessary to pilot the plan in some key places and areas. Last year, 181 AEDs were placed at Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen International Airport, ZTE, Foxconn Group, Shenzhen People"s Hospital, Shenzhen Children"s Hospital and other places.

From 2017 to the end of 2021, the government will set up financial funds and purchase 5,000 AEDs in annual batches of open bidding. It will place the devices in representative crowded public places in different districts and new areas, and train 50,000 local junior medical technicians at a ratio of 1:10. This year, the budget is more than 10 million yuan (US$1.5 million) for the purchase of 500 AEDs.

The commission added that from January 2022 to December 2026, the government will continue to increase investment and mobilization of social forces in the cause. The long-term goal is to place at least 18,000 AEDs in the city and to cultivate more than 180,000 qualified junior medical technicians and a batch of volunteers who can perform CPR and use AEDs.

In addition, regulations have been drafted by experts to define the legality and legal responsibility of using AEDs in first aid. At present, the regulations are still in the deliberation procedure and are expected to roll out after approval by the city"s legislature.

Source:Shenzhen Daily