Following a series of talks and meetings with the Malta Heart Foundation, University’s student council (KSU) successfully acquired an automated external defibrillator (AED) to be used on campus.

The foundation has been working for many years on introducing new AEDs in various locations (such as Air Malta planes) and will be rebranding with new members in the near future.

These machines save lives by giving an instant shock to individuals going into cardiac arrest. It is estimated that in Europe, a person suffers from cardiac arrest every 45 seconds. This means that the heart stops beating efficiently, taking only a few minutes before circulation leads to the irreversible death of organs.

Cardiac arrest usually occurs in an already cardiovascular-compromised individual. However, this can also happen due to many other causes, such as an anaphylactic (strong allergic) reaction.

The AED is a self-instructing machine and is especially easy to use. It has a voice that instructs the user and does not shock a non-shockable rhythm.

The council will be meeting the University administration shortly to discuss the way forward regarding location and signage.