Dubai: The Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS) helped save the lives of 90 individuals who had cardiac arrests in the past year, even as it achieved a record average response time of 7.5 minutes, a 13 per cent improvement from 2022. The organisation attended to emergencies involving 235,394 individuals in 2023.
Awad Saghir Al Ketbi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DCAS, said, “The organisation received 205,200 reports involving a range of cases from minor to critical during the period. Over the course of the year, it provided medical care to 235,394 individuals, which included emergency transportation for 69,647 cases and 26,816 non-emergency cases to both government and private healthcare facilities."
Additionally, on-site healthcare services were rendered to other cases. The corporation successfully performed life-saving interventions for 90 individuals experiencing cardiac arrests, achieving a 21 per cent increase in cardiac resuscitation and life-saving operations compared to the previous year. The average response time for emergency calls was reduced to 7.5 minutes, marking a 13 per cent improvement in response efficiency from 2022.
Al Ketbi added, “As part of its commitment to providing swift responses that meet the needs of the emirate’s residents and visitors, and as part of Dubai’s strategic urban plan, the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services introduced 12 new ambulance points last year. This expansion brought the total number of ambulance points operated by the corporation to 133, strategically distributed across Dubai.”
Specialised services
“The corporation stands out with its specialised ambulance services designed to meet the diverse needs of the community. Managed and operated by a dedicated team of 1,375 personnel, including emergency doctors, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and emergency responders, they work tirelessly around the clock to safeguard the lives of the community,” he noted.
Al Ketbi said the corporation has made concerted efforts to acknowledge and enhance the role of women, striving to empower them in support of the UAE’s vision for gender equality. Women now constitute 21 per cent of the total workforce of the corporation.
“DCAS successfully covered 42 major events throughout Dubai, clocking a total of 5,000 hours. These included significant occasions such as Eid celebrations, New Year’s events, local and international races, exhibitions, and global conferences. Additionally, the Corporation offered 154 training programmes and courses for the government sector, benefiting 11,159 employees, while providing 88 programmes for the private sector, benefiting 3,952 individuals in 2023. This was part of its dedicated plan for training and community awareness. The awareness plan also targeted specific groups including people with disabilities, children, the elderly, and labour sectors, organising 64 awareness programmes within the same year, reaching 17,034 beneficiaries,” he said.
“As part of its role of regulating ambulance services in Dubai, the organisation licensed 120 training centres offering first aid courses and programmes, and 62 healthcare facilities or hospitals that provide ambulance services. Additionally, it certified professionals for private entities, totalling 732, including 188 trainers, 311 paramedics, and 233 ambulance vehicle operators, along with licensing 127 ambulance vehicles,” he added.
