REGIONAL MS Altaf Hussain has donated a defibrillator to the Brynawel Rehabilitation Centre at Llanharan.
This is the third defibrillator he has purchased – he has already donated two to local schools. He has also paid for a package of training with each of them.
Brynawel, which is a charity, provides rehabilitation facilities for people suffering with drug and alcohol abuse. It works in conjunction with local health boards and Welsh Government to provide services to people from a wide area.
Welsh Conservative Dr Hussain, who has been chairman of the board that runs the centre, is now a trustee after being elected to the Senedd last year. He also worked as an orthopaedic surgeon for many years.
He said: “I have long campaigned for defibrillators to be widely distributed throughout our communities. If someone suffers cardiac arrest there are literally only minutes to save their lives. I have been in touch with Welsh Health Minister Eluned Morgan about the need to publicise the importance of these vital pieces of equipment as there have been very disturbing incidents in some areas of them either being vandalised of stolen.
“While the three that I have donated are located within closed environments so will not be subject to vandalism, it is important that we have them placed along our streets and in public places. If I had my way, I would have one in every street. They spell the difference between life and death in many cases. We must also get more people trained in operating them and also performing things like CPR.
“I hope that this is now being included in the curriculum for Welsh schools. Just one lesson will equip pupils with the skills that they can take forward for the rest of their lives. We need to create a nation of life savers.”