Updated - Adds comments by consultant at Casualty Department - A woman, 57, died after choking while having lunch at a restaurant on Tuesday and her brother is calling for staff in the hospitality industry to have first aid training.

“We need to have people in public restaurants trained in first aid. My sister died choking on a piece of meat in a restaurant and it seems no one around was able to help her in the correct manner,” Charles Selvaggi said on social media.

Noting that the staff members at the restaurant in question did all they could to help his sister, Mr Selvaggi said yesterday workers at certain establishments, such as restaurants and hotels, should be trained in basic first aid to deal with incidents of choking, heart attack, fractures and allergic reactions.

Mr Selvaggi preferred not to give his sister’s particulars and name the restaurant.

His appeal is not the first of the sort.

In 2001, the parents of 20-year-old Roderick Refalo, who also died when he choked on a piece of meat in a restaurant, appealed to catering establishments to ensure that at least one member of staff is trained in first aid. His father, Silvio, also suggested that short clips should be broadcast on TV with first aid tips.

A similar appeal was made in 2010 when Victor Sultana called for more public awareness about simple but effective first aid procedures that could have saved his son’s life. Robert, a young lawyer, died after choking on food during a barbeque with friends. 

The call for better knowledge of first aid was echoed by Jonathan Joslin, a consultant at Mater Dei Hospital’s Emergency Department.

The Malta Resuscitation Council was pushing for higher basic support knowledge within the community. First aid and basic life support, which included chest compression and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, had already started being taught in schools.

It seems no one around was able to help her in the correct manner

It was important to equip schoolchildren with such knowledge as they would later on go out in the community and would be able to administer first aid in such incidents, Dr Joslin added.

Training was also important at workplaces, including restaurants and hotels. Some establishments had already started regular training and installed defibrillators, he said.

Asked what to do in similar instances, Dr Joslin said once someone started choking, they would be anxious and probably put up their hand to their throat.

Once those around realised they were choking, they should call for emergency assistance and try to relieve the obstruction by chest thumping or back slapping, and, as a last resort, perform the Heimlich manoeuvre, which involves performing upward thrusts on the sufferer’s diaphragm from behind.

Knowledge of CPR could come in useful in such situations if the person goes into cardiac arrest because of lack of oxygen.