Political advisor calls for nationwide promotion of defibrillators

Ao Hushan (L), CPPCC member at the "Members' Corridor" on March 4, 2021. /CGTN

Efforts are needed to improve the nation's capability for emergency rescue, Ao Hushan, a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), urged at the "Members' Corridor" on Thursday.

China has witnessed an improvement in its promotion and application of the automated external defibrillator (AED), an important device in the process of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), said Ao, also chief physician of the anesthesiology department at Fuwai Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Taking the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen as example, Ao said the city alone is equipped with 5,000 AEDs, up from 500 before 2018.

"In the next five to 10 years, Shenzhen plans to deploy 300 AEDs per 100,000 people," he said.

"Popularization of CPR and AEDs is becoming a social consensus," said the political advisor, warning that there are still 1 billion people in China who need access to CPR.

The COVID-19 outbreak again highlights the importance of constructing the first aid system, said Ao.

"The government should introduce policies and legislation to promote the allocation of AEDs," he said, calling for the establishment of a "first aid day" on January 20.