S E M S   O n l i n e   N e w s l e t t e r

I s s u e    A u g u s t    2 0 0 6

1^st Resuscitation Symposium (Resuscitation Council of Asia)

2^nd Singapore Resuscitation Symposium 2006

This landmark event was attended by world-renowned experts in critical care and emergency medicine, including Dr. Michael Sayre (United States), Dr. Peter Morley (Australia), Dr. Tetsuo Hatanaka (Japan), Dr. Matthew Ma (Taiwan) and Dr. Sung Oh Hwang (Korea).

The excellent programme provided updates on resuscitation guidelines and public access defibrillation, with a fascinating series of presentations from our Asian counterparts on How To Strengthen The Chain Of Survival.  Dr. Matthew Ma entertained with a humourous narrative, describing how Taiwanese perform their own unique “3-step technique” when reviving collapse victims: (1) help them sit up, (2) massage their shoulders, and (3) give them a drink. But it was Clinical A/Prof. Lim Swee Han’s segment which drew the warmest response, when an old video clip combining CPR with aerobics elicited laughter and applause from an appreciative audience.

The day ended with the official launch of the Singapore National Resuscitation Council’s revised Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support guidelines. This was shortly followed by a front-page feature in the Straits Times a few days later.

Bystander CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators has yet to attain North American standards; but hopefully, with the recent Heartsafe campaign, significant media coverage and the government’s strong backing ( especially in preparation for Singapore’s very first Integrated Resort ), we can help build a strong foundation to ensure that the Chain Of Survival is never compromised.

Copyright © 2005 The Society for Emergency Medicine in Singapore

The Society for Emergency Medicine in Singapore c/o Department of Emergency Medicine

Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, S169608

Phone +65 63213558   Fax  +65 63214873