Macau (MNA) – An ITLS [International Trauma Life Support] Medical and Health Research Centre Limited opened on Monday to provide first-aid training to interested parties including residents.
Stanley C.H. Ma, Chairman of Hong Kong Medical & Health Association, said on the sidelines of the opening ceremony that the centre will also train local emergency medical technicians and gaming operators’ workers.
“We will mainly train people to perform AED [automated external defibrillator] and CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation],” indicated Mr. Ma. “We can also provide training courses […] such as taking care of patients suffering from various diseases like diabetes or to perform kidney dialysis.”
He said by setting up the Centre, local residents would not need to have related training outside the city.
Asked if the Centre has entered into co-operation with any gaming operators, Mr. Ma replied that there is no co-operation for the moment but said many casinos and hoteliers have voluntarily requested their workers take first-aid courses.
He also opined that Macau should mandate notifiable workplaces to have a certain number of workers to obtain first aid qualifications, like the related regulations existing in Hong Kong.
According to Hong Kong regulations, workplace teams must include at least one person trained in first aid per 100 persons.
“Many malls are equipped with AED and it would be best if many people know how to use it,” said Mr. Ma. “It would be too late to wait for the ambulance to arrive when there is an emergency.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Ma said they intend to co-operate with local hospitals.
“Hospitals do also provide related training but the operations of hospitals are generally busy,” said the chairman. “[In contrast, our Centre] is specialised in providing such training [to the general public].”
