Jamaicans Urged to Learn CPR

The Heart Foundation of Jamaica is appealing for more Jamaicans to get trained in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Director of Cardiac Care at the Heart Foundation of Jamaica, Dr. Hugh Wong, said that knowledge of CPR can save lives.

He was speaking at a JIS Think Tank at the agency’s head office in Kingston on Tuesday (June 14).

Dr. Wong noted that in the case of cardiac arrest, early and appropriate resuscitation could improve survival outcomes.

“Cardiac arrest is a sudden unexpected cessation of the heartbeat and when this occurs there is no blood flowing. If there is no intervention within four to five minutes the person will die,” he pointed out.

“For every minute that you do not do CPR, the chances of survival falls by seven to 10 per cent, so within six minutes, your chances of survival have fallen to 40 or 30 per cent.  All it requires is pumping on the chest 100 to 120 times per minute, but it must be done correctly,” he warned.

Dr. Wong said it was important to note that four out of five cases of cardiac arrest occur in the home or the workplace, “so if you are going to do CPR, chances are you will not be doing it on a stranger. Most likely it would be a loved one or a colleague.”

The Heart Foundation of Jamaica is observing CPR Week from June 12-18. A number of activities are being planned, including a regional conference on recent changes in CPR guidelines; a CPR demonstration at Emancipation Park on June 16; and simulation activities in public spaces.

The Heart Foundation will be staging a mass CPR training session at its 28 Beechwood Avenue headquarters in Kingston on June 18.

Members of the public are invited to register for the training, which will be offered at a discounted rate.