The health system measures put into place in the United Arab Emirates to contain the spread of COVID-19 are:
* 21 June: Abu Dhabi’s Emergency, Crisis & Disaster Committee announced that the National Screening Programme has reduced the rate of confirmed cases, which have decreased to less than 1% in AbuDhabi City
* AED1000 fine, 6 traffic points for dumping used face masks, gloves on the ground.
* Healthcare donations of Community Solidarity Fund Against COVID-19 top AED144 million. The contributions, which include medical tests for underprivileged people and medical and protective equipment, were made in coordination with government entities, charities and community members. A total of 46,668 medical checkups were conducted at a cost of over AED36 million, IACAD said. Over 233,000 units of medical equipment worth approximately AED83 million were donated including 460 ventilators and 300 medical beds. Approximately 232,000 testing units, 360 medical devices, six ambulance cars and other medical supplies were also provided.
* UAE research centers and laboratories prepare bilateral partnerships with the United Nations and the World Health Organisation, in addition to several countries, including the United States, Russia, United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, China, India, Brazil, Egypt, Israel, South Korea, France, Cuba, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, and Indonesia.
* Two COVID-19 mobile screening clinics launch in Al Ain.
* Abu Dhabi Health Services Company announced the opening of the COVID-19 Prime Assessment Centres in Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and Al Ain Convention Centre with a capacity of 2000 in and 1500 respectively.
* 5,000 COVID-19 tests for Sharjah government employees returning to workplace.
* 14 June: UAE Cabinet approves bonuses for emergency workers
* 1 June: DHA establishes new medical isolation facility for COVID-19 patients
* 31 May: Department of Health provides free COVID-19 testing in high-density areas in Abu Dhabi
* 29 May: The Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Ministry of Interior, and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority announced that the National Disinfection Programme will be conducted from 10 PM to 6 AM instead of 8 PM to 6 AM, effective from Saturday, 30th May
* 24 May: The UAE Government announced that its regular media briefing on the latest COVID-19 developments and the country’s ongoing preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus will resume from Monday, May 25
*20 May: All private health facilities in Dubai will be able to resume most of their alternative medical therapies with immediate effect, except for dental and ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) services which continue to fall in the essential or emergency category only.
* 19 May: The UAE National Programme for Happiness and Wellbeing has announced the launch of a mental health hotline to support individuals’ mental health and psychological wellbeing during the coronavirus pandemic. The hotline, titled ‘Mental Support Line’, aims to provide initial psychological counselling and support to community members, via the cooperation of volunteer mental health experts, consultants and specialists.
* 15 May: Dubai Health Authority deploys advanced mobile testing unit to conduct COVID-19 screening in labour camps.
* 13 May: Teams from the PCE distributed 30,000 masks, produced by inmates as part of the Interior ministry’s rehabilitation programmes, to the workers in industrial areas.
*13 May: The Abu Dhabi Emergency Crisis and Disasters Committee for COVID-19 Pandemic has inaugurated a field hospital at Al Razeen as part of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s field hospital initiative. In addition to Razeen field hospital, the committee is working on 4 further field hospitals.
*10 May: The Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear administration of the Abu Dhabi Police has carried out the disinfection of 48,383 ambulances and non-emergency vehicles transporting COVID-19 patients.
* 7 May: The Ministry of Health and Prevention has announced it is deploying a self-driving vehicle to distribute personal protective equipment including masks, gloves and sanitisers to residents and workers of a residential complex in Sharjah.
* As of 5th May, the UAE has conducted 1.3 million coronavirus tests, which were done by hospitals, specialist health centres and 14 drive-through testing centres.The test is available for free in healthcare facilities across the emirate for people who are showing signs or symptoms of COVID-19, as well as for the elderly, pregnant women, and those who have chronic diseases. In addition, more than 58 studies are being conducted in the UAE to understand the nature of Covid-19 and develop innovative treatments, as well as diagnostic devices and medical tools
*9 May: Abu Dhabi Police launches mobile coronavirus screening centre.
*The cost for stem cell treatment of critical coronavirus cases will be covered by the government. The treatment was administered in the UAE to 73 COVID-19 patients who have all been successfully treated and cured of the virus by inhaling the treatment into their lungs after it has been nebulized into a fine mist.
*A patent has been granted by the Ministry of Economy for the development of an innovative and promising treatment for COVID-19 infections using stem cells. The treatment was developed by a team of doctors and researchers at the Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Center, ADSCC, and involves extracting stem cells from the patient’s own blood and reintroducing them after activating them.
* To combat the spread of Covid-19, a walk-through sanitising gate solution offering an automatic 360° disinfection barrier that kills 99.9 per cent of germs and viruses will be launched in UAE this month.
* 28 April: Mandatory Covid-19 test for all workers before reopening Abu Dhabi malls, facilities.
* 26 April: The Ministry of Health and Prevention, Abu Dhabi Health Authority and Dubai Health Authority have jointly launched an app named ALHOSN UAE, to serve as a reference on the pandemic.
* 24 April: Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services has announced the launch of its Mobile Laboratory Unit (MLU), to provide free testing for the elderly and ‘people of determination’ at their homes.
*22 April: In order to strengthen the UAE’s fight against COVID-19, three new field hospitals are currently under development. The field hospitals are located in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and will provide a total of 3,400 additional hospital beds when completed. They are being constructed by Abu Dhabi’s public health provider, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (Seha).
* 19 April: Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) has launched a hackathon for UAE residents to develop innovative solutions that could help contain the spread of the virus. The winners will win AED 50,000 as well as an award from Sandooq Al Watan offering a National Impact Grant of AED 25,000 for one winning solution to develop it into a start-up serving the community.
* Artificial intelligence is used to accelerate diagnoses, disseminate trusted information as well as detecting fraudulent insurance claims and accurately evaluating patient data in real time. SoftBank-backed AI company Automation Anywhere is offering free healthcare bots to help the industry manage increased workloads due to the pandemic.
* 18 April: The Department of Health
– Abu Dhabi (DoH) has launched a new innovative smartphone app named TraceCovid.
* 15 April: The Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has been converted into a field hospital with a capacity to treat up to 3,000 COVID-19 patients. It is partially open with a capacity of 1,000 beds
* A smart helmet technology capable of monitoring infected people will be used by specialist police teams around the country.
* 26 March: The UAE Government launched a ‘National Disinfection Programme’. Under the programme, most of the cities were locked down from 26 March to 5 April, including public facilities; public transport and streets were disinfected every night from 8pm to 6 am.
* The UAE conducted more than half a million COVID-19 tests across the country. 13 drive-through COVID-19 test centers are set up across the country.
* Implementation of self-isolation and quarantine programs for travelers coming from outside the country. A large COVID-19 detection and testing laboratory is set up in Masdar City, with significant processing and testing capabilities.
* Free mobile internet data while using health sector platform apps
* Postponing the renewal of the occupational health card for facilities under the supervision of the municipality, and extension by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) of the validity of expired health cards for three months, starting from 24 March
* Launching “We’re Here for You” service for members of the UAE’s diplomatic missions abroad which aims to preserve their health and safety by implementing precautionary and preventive measures
* Launching ‘Weqaya’, an electronic platform specifically designed to raise public health awareness in UAE on COVID-19
* Launching the ‘National Campaign for Mental Support’ with the participation of more than 50 experts to help the UAE’s residents overcome the psychological impact resulting from the spread of COVID-19
* Launching the “We Are Your Family
– Remote” initiative which seeks to reach senior UAE citizens and check on their psychological and social health
* Turning ExCeL London, the largest venue for exhibitions and conferences in London, into a temporary field hospital to combat COVID-19
* Sending critical medical supplies including more than 40 tons of medicines and test kits and 6 medical teams to Iran in coordination with the World Health Organization. The UAE has also sent medical aid to Malaysia, Colombia, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Italy.
The published information can be found here
