The UAE National Programme for Medical Readiness and Response “Jaheziya” has announced the launch of the first unified, integrated, and internationally accredited national training system aimed at advancing the healthcare sector and strengthening hospital preparedness across the country.

The initiative is designed to enable frontline healthcare professionals to respond rapidly and effectively to medical emergencies, disasters, and public health crises in accordance with the highest international standards and best practices.

The programme affirmed that this milestone aligns with the UAE leadership’s vision and directives to build a resilient and proactive healthcare system grounded in preparedness, risk management, and national health security, while reinforcing the United Arab Emirates’ position as a regional and global centre of excellence in medical readiness and emergency response.

The newly launched national system represents a comprehensive strategic framework that aims to unify training concepts and operational protocols nationwide. It bridges academic education with practical implementation within healthcare institutions and establishes an integrated operational model for emergency and disaster management, ensuring rapid decision-making and the highest levels of operational efficiency during exceptional circumstances.

The system is built upon four interconnected strategic pillars: education, training, research, and practical implementation.

On the educational front, specialised scientific curricula have been developed in emergency medicine, critical care, surgery, disaster management, and healthcare leadership. These curricula are aligned with the latest clinical evidence and international standards, while being tailored to meet the specific needs of the UAE healthcare system.

On the training front, the programme has adopted advanced high-fidelity medical simulation, realistic mass-casualty and disaster-response scenarios, and joint field exercises within hospitals. It also includes the preparation and certification of nationally accredited trainers to ensure sustainability and continuous knowledge transfer.

On the research front, the programme supports applied studies in healthcare preparedness and risk management. It has introduced national key performance indicators to measure readiness and response levels within healthcare facilities and to analyse operational gaps, contributing to improved healthcare policies and enhanced service quality.

The system also activates structured command-and-control mechanisms during emergencies and strengthens integration between emergency departments, intensive care units, surgical teams, and anesthesia departments. This ensures immediate intervention during the “golden hour” in coordination with first responders, including paramedics, civil defence teams, police, and disaster management authorities, in order to reduce preventable mortality through the optimal use of advanced simulation technologies and virtual intelligence tools.

Dr. Adel Al Shamry Al Ajmi, Emirati cardiac surgeon, CEO of the Zayed Giving Initiative, President of Emirates Doctors, and CEO of the UAE National Program for Medical Readiness and Response, stated that Jaheziya has achieved a qualitative transformation in the healthcare sector over the past years through strategic investment in human capital. This progress reflects the leadership’s directives to adopt global best practices and attract leading international universities, hospitals, and specialised training centres.

He noted that during the past five years since its establishment, the program successfully attracted more than ten of the world’s leading universities and training institutions. It has trained thousands of frontline healthcare professionals in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE, significantly enhancing hospital preparedness in emergency departments, intensive care units, surgery, and anesthesia, and strengthening institutional capacity to manage disasters and health crises with high efficiency.

He further added that Jaheziya has established specialised training centres across various Emirates to ensure sustainability and geographical expansion of training programs, enhancing national integration in healthcare readiness and achieving self-sufficiency in specialised training.

Under the Jaheziya International Programme, the initiative has extended beyond the UAE by transferring knowledge, expertise, and medical technologies to friendly and partner countries. Joint training and capacity-building programs have been implemented to support healthcare systems internationally, reflecting the UAE’s humanitarian and developmental role in strengthening global healthcare systems, particularly in the field of emergency and disaster management.

Professor Roberto Mugavero, President of the European Centre for Disaster Medicine, praised the UAE experience, stating that Jaheziya represents an advanced model in unifying training curricula in line with European and international standards and in building a system rooted in proactive preparedness and health risk management.

He emphasised that the partnership enhances knowledge exchange and supports applied research in emergency and disaster medicine.