AMMAN - Jordan's first life support training centre (LSTC) opened on Tuesday with the aim of introducing laymen and medical staff to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
HRH Princess Dina Mired, director general of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF), opened the centre at KHCF headquarters in Um Uthaina yesterday.
The LSTC, the first facility in the country to receive American Heart Association (AHA) affiliation, will hold basic and advanced CPR courses for laymen and medical service providers, LSTC Director Dr. Tagreed Najjar told reporters at a press conference.
International studies indicate that 75-80 per cent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrest takes place at home; thus the ability to perform CPR can be the difference between life and death of a loved one, Najjar added.
"Training in early cardiovascular and respiratory resuscitation is necessary for every individual in order to help save persons suffering from sudden cardiac arrest," Najjar told The Jordan Times yesterday.
Since sudden cardiac arrest is more likely to occur in public places such as malls or airports, the centre plans to place automated external defibrillators (AED) in public areas, she added.
AEDs, which are portable electronic devices designed to be used by the average citizen, can treat cardiac arrest through defibrillation, an application of electrical therapy that stops arrhythmia and allows the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm, according to Wikipedia.
Highlighting the importance of CPR training in saving lives, Najjar said administering CPR immediately after cardiac arrest can double a victim's chances of survival, while any delay in the procedure reduces their chance of survival by 7-10 per cent per minute.
She added that brain death begins 4-6 minutes after cardiac arrest if no CPR is administred.
Although there are no statistics measuring the situation in the Kingdom, international studies show that around 95 per cent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital.
The centre seeks to reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke through the promoting of early emergency medical services, such as CPR, defibrillation and advanced cardiac life support.
Fifteen instructors who received AHA certificates will be leading several emergency cardiovascular care courses, including the Basic Life Support and First Aid courses, which will be offered to any person interested in learning CPR, in addition to middle and high school students, police, fire-fighters, lifeguards and paramedics.
The centre will also provide Advanced Life and Paediatric Life Support Courses for healthcare professionals.
By Hana Namrouqa
© Jordan Times 2008
