A national initiative aimed at expanding healthcare accessand strengthening community preparedness for emergencies has launched a new phase of virtual clinics and community-based medical volunteer programmes across the UAE.

The effort focuses on providing remote medical consultations while supporting volunteer-led health services within residential communities.

The initiative is part of the Emirates National Medical Preparedness and Response Programme, Jaheziya, which was launched under the slogan “Together We Respond for the Health of Our Community and the Readiness of Our Nation.”

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.

The programme is being implemented through the Emirati Doctors Initiative and focuses on delivering remote medical consultations alongside field-based volunteer services in residential neighbourhoods.

It aims to enhance public health awareness, bring healthcare services closer to residents, and train thousands of community members in first aid and injury response as part of a volunteer-driven effort to strengthen community resilience.

Through the initiative, Emirati physicians will provide medical consultations and health awareness guidance via virtual clinics while participating in on-ground volunteer health programmes.

These activities aim to offer initial medical support and guidance to citizens and residents of all nationalities.

In addition to consultations, the programme includes specialised training for community members to help them respond to medical emergencies.

The training focuses on first aid, bleeding control, and managing injuries at incident sites until ambulance teams arrive, strengthening what organisers describe as the first line of community defence.

The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with several governmental, private and non-profit organisations, including the Emirates Medical Reserve Team, the Emirates Resuscitation Association, the Emirates Giving Association (Ata’a), the UAE Community Emergency Response Team (UAE CERT), and other national training and volunteer programmes.

Mobile community health clinics and mobile training units will operate across all emirates under the supervision of national community emergency medical teams.

Physicians and volunteers will participate through a structured training and operational framework designed to ensure service quality and rapid response during emergencies.

Virtual clinics will also provide preventive health guidance, including early screening awareness for cardiovascular diseases, chronic illnesses and mental health conditions, while directing patients to specialised healthcare facilities when needed.

Dr Adel Al Shamry Al Ajmi, CEO of the Zayed Giving Initiative and president of both the Emirati Doctors Initiative and Jaheziya, said the programme reflects a national vision to strengthen integration between the healthcare sector and the wider community.

He noted that the initiative promotes specialised medical volunteering and social responsibility among Emirati physicians while contributing to a broader national preparedness and response system.

Launched in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, the programme has helped build the capacity of more than 20,000 first responders from government, private and non-profit sectors.

Officials say the system has improved hospital preparedness and strengthened coordination among medical teams, ambulance services, civil defence and police, helping ensure faster and more effective responses to emergencies.

Through a unified training framework accredited by more than ten international centres, the initiative has become a recognised model for community-based medical preparedness both locally and internationally.

UAE: Meet 'neighbourhood doctor' who offers free medical advice via WhatsApp Affordable, specialised services: How UAE's neighbourhood clinics ensure easy access to healthcare Fakeeh Health launches AI-enabled smart clinics supporting Dubai’s digital healthcare vision