TAIPEI--The Department of Health (DOH) has said that it is setting up a databank showing all the locations of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
DOH statistics show that heart disease is the second-leading cause of death in Taiwan. Every year, around 20,000 people who have sudden cardiac arrest die before reaching the hospital, the DOH noted.
Taiwan has completed an amendment to the Emergency Medical Services Act stipulating that public places should be equipped with AEDs and incorporating a Good Samaritan law -- which protects people who perform emergency treatment from lawsuits -- to encourage people to use the AEDs when necessary.
The DOH recently promulgated regulations governing emergency medical services and equipment that require public places with AEDs to upload their information to the DOH data center, which will then send the information to local health and fire departments.
The DOH will employ specialists to manage and maintain the AED data and launch a system for certification of locations equipped with AEDs.
SOURCE: Focus Taiwan News Channel