SEREMBAN, 5 September 2022 – International Medical University (IMU), Malaysia’s first and most established private and health sciences university, in collaboration with Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar Seremban, jointly organised a public health day to educate the public on acting and responding swiftly during disasters and emergencies.
The half-day event, held at Kompleks Belia dan Sukan Paroi, was officiated by State Executive Councillor and State Health, Environment, Cooperatives and Consumerism Action Committee Chairman YB Veerapan A/L Superamaniam, who represented the Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan.
It is the first large scale public education and awareness programme on disaster management and health emergency that is initiated by IMU as part of its community projects.
At the event, the public with the help of volunteers from IMU’s School of Medicine and staff from Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar Seremban were shown various life-saving techniques during emergencies. These included cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which are useful for emergencies such as heart-attack or near-drowning; chest compression for anyone experiencing a choke; limb stabilisation before moving someone with fractures; and other care and safety measures.
According to Prof Datuk Lokman Hakim bin Sulaiman, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research, International Medical University (IMU), the event was organised as part of IMU’s ongoing community service in educating the public on health awareness, providing health services and to help save lives during emergencies or disasters.
“Anyone at an emergency can be the ‘first responders’ if they are equipped with life-saving techniques and more lives can be saved with the right technique while waiting for the paramedics to arrive.”
“In 2020, the highest cause of death among adults was Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD). Drowning among children aged five and below was ranked fourth. Some of these deaths can be prevented if action was taken swiftly by parents, family members or members of the public,” he said.
IMU School of Medicine Departments represented in the emergency demonstrations were from Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, ENT, General Surgery, Family Medicine and Medicine.
Held in conjunction with IMU’s 30th Anniversary themed ‘Nurturing Leaders Today’, IMU hopes to nurture more first responders among the public who will lead and help during emergencies to help save more lives.
A member of the public who volunteered to join the demonstration, Khadijah Kubra binti Nor Firdaus said she is happy to have attended the event and have learnt some of the basic first aid procedures.
“I think it is important to know some basic first aid. More people should come and experience event like this and learn first-hand from the professionals instead of learning from YouTube. Knowing first aid is useful so that we know what to do during emergencies,” she said.
Roslan bin Haji Khalili, another volunteer from the public said more events like this should be conducted so the public can learn and help during emergencies.
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