This is the first pilot project of its kind in Vietnam, a collaboration between Hanoi Medical University Hospital and FPT Corporation. Professor Nguyen Lan Hieu, Director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital, announced this at the project launch on the morning of 19/9.
Doctor Hieu said he had nurtured this idea for many years, after witnessing the widespread installation of AEDs in developed countries. AEDs not only save lives but also build trust and safety for residents and tourists. Da Nang, one of the country's largest tourist destinations with over 2.53 million overnight visitors in the first quarter of 2025, was chosen as the first pilot location.
Time is of the essence in cases of cardiac arrest. Every minute that passes, the victim's chance of survival decreases by 10%. Without prompt intervention, the brain is deprived of oxygen, potentially leading to severe consequences. A key advantage of AEDs is their design for everyday people, no medical training required. Doctors explain that once turned on, the device provides step-by-step voice and visual instructions. Furthermore, the device is intelligent, only administering a shock when necessary, so there's no need to worry about harming the victim.
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Automated external defibrillator (AED). Photo: Tran Huan |
Automated external defibrillator (AED). Photo: Tran Huan
The installation of AEDs becomes critical given that approximately 200,000 people die from cardiovascular diseases in Vietnam annually, accounting for about one-third of the total deaths nationwide. Statistics show a very high out-of-hospital cardiac arrest mortality rate of 96%. Meanwhile, the percentage of people who know and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is very low at 8.7%, compared to 70% in the UK, 56.2% in Singapore, and 40.4% in Thailand.
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine indicated that the survival rate could reach 74% if cardiac arrest patients receive an AED shock within the first three minutes. However, in Vietnam, awareness of this device remains limited, with virtually no cases of on-site AED use.
During the pilot phase, AEDs will be installed at communal and ward health stations, with plans for wider deployment later.
At the launch, Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of FPT Corporation, noted the event's timing coincided with the Politburo's newly issued Resolution 72 on strengthening the protection, care, and improvement of people's health. He believes this resolution is particularly significant because health should be prioritized in everyone's happiness.
"AEDs are a practical means to contribute to that goal," Binh said.
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Professor Nguyen Lan Hieu, Director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital (left), and Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of FPT Corporation (right). Photo: Tran Huan |
Professor Nguyen Lan Hieu, Director of Hanoi Medical University Hospital (left), and Truong Gia Binh, Chairman of FPT Corporation (right). Photo: Tran Huan
Le Nga
