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National | Health

Shocktober’s over but CPR still crucial for Māori and Pasifika survival

(Video: Te Ao Māori News)

Although Shocktober is over, cardiac survival rates among Māori and Pasifika remain low, making it crucial for people to continue to learn CPR.

According to the 2022/2023 Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Report, seven people a day will experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, with 11 percent surviving. However, Māori have a 25 percent lower chance of survival, and Pasifika people face a 33 percent lower chance.

Three Steps for Life delivery lead Amelia Noyes said it was important for Māori and Pasifika whānua to continue their learning.

“It’s really important we get out there and teach as many people as possible what to do in an emergency to help save someone’s life.

“For our Māori and Pasifika communities, it‘s so important to make sure everybody is having a good time and everyone is loved and taken care of. So what better way than to learn what to do to save a whānau member’s life.”

Last month’s Shocktober saw Hato Hone St John break a record on the number of Kiwis trained in CPR. “We are incredibly proud of Kiwis across the motu who got involved with our Shocktober campaign this year and learnt calling 111, starting CPR, and using an AED (Automated External Defibrillator),” Noyes said.

More than 35,000 Kiwis learned how to save a person.

How to do CPR

Mia Noyes teaches Te Ao Māori News producer Daniel Perese how to perform CPR. (Video: Te Ao Māori News)

For a quick demonstration on how to perform CPR, Noyes taught Te Ao Māori News producer Daniel Perese the basics.

During the demonstration, Noyes mentioned that chest compressions should be performed at a rate of 100 to 120 beats per minute, recommending songs like Poi E by Patea Māori Club, Dancing Queen by ABBA, and Please Please Please by Sabrina Carpenter.

Hato Hone St John has a banger of a Spotify playlist featuring songs that match the ideal tempo for performing CPR.

Anyone can do it!

When someone has collapsed and stopped breathing, Noyes wants people to remember the ngā tohu whakaora e toru (3 steps for life).

  1. Call 111
  2. Start CPR
  3. Use an AED (If possible)

“I think no matter what age someone is, no matter where they come from, anybody could help out at an emergency, whether that’s controlling the situation, being that mentor or coach and telling people what to do, keeping everybody calm, moving people away from the event, even calling 111 or doing the physical components.

“No matter what you do in an emergency it will always help, and it’s better to do something than nothing at all,” Noyes said.