Special UAE service for doctors responding to emergencies

The Ministry of Interior has stated that doctors from 13 essential medical specialties may register and benefit from the ‘Wreiga’ service, which facilitates their movement to hospitals during emergencies without obstacles.

The service grants them specific traffic exemptions, including driving up to 40km/h above the posted speed limit, using the road shoulder, and receiving support from traffic patrols.

Colonel Dr. Saeed Al Dhahouri, director of service development at the Ministry of Interior, revealed that the service allows doctors to use certain regulated traffic exemptions when necessary. These include exceeding the speed limit within specified margins, using the road shoulder, driving in bus lanes, and seeking assistance from the police operations room in cases of heavy congestion. He noted that the operations room may either guide the doctor or dispatch a patrol to clear the way, ensuring the doctor reaches the hospital as quickly and safely as possible without endangering themselves or others.

Speaking at the Abu Dhabi Emergency Medical Services Conference organised by the Abu Dhabi Civil Defense Authority, he confirmed that the service reflects the UAE’s commitment to enhancing community safety and well-being. The initiative was introduced as an innovative solution designed to improve emergency response times within the healthcare system by providing practical measures that facilitate doctors’ movement in line with the needs of patients and the wider community.

He explained that discussions around response time typically focus on emergencies occurring on roads or in buildings. However, the ‘Wreiga’ service opens a new dimension by supporting doctors while they are on the way to hospitals after being urgently called in for critical cases inside medical facilities. He added that the idea was initiated after observing the needs of this group since 2019, which showed that doctors require special facilitation to help them reach time-sensitive cases promptly. Therefore, a formal and safe mechanism was needed to enable their rapid movement on the roads.

He pointed out that the ‘Wreiga’ service was launched in 2020 by Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. To ensure its sustainability, a permanent committee was formed comprising the Ministry of Interior, healthcare institutions, the National Ambulance, and police leadership. This committee oversees the management and development of the service in accordance with evolving needs in the country’s healthcare system.

Regarding the choice of the name ‘Wreiga’, he explained that it was inspired by the renowned Emirati traditional healer Saeed bin Wreiga Al Hamli, who lived during the era of the late Sheikh Zayed the First. He was widely known for his readiness to help and his commitment to treating and serving people. The initiative was named after him in honor of his legacy as a symbol of medical and humanitarian generosity.

The ‘Wreiga’ service is offered to a select group of doctors in designated critical specialties when they are urgently summoned by hospitals for high-priority emergency cases. Its purpose is to ensure they reach hospitals (using their private vehicles) as quickly as possible by providing safe traffic exemptions that reduce delays caused by congestion, while maintaining their safety and that of road users. The initiative supports medical professionals in performing their vital roles and adhering to the highest safety standards during emergency response.

Colonel Dr. Saeed Mohammed Al Dhahouri, Director of Service Development at the Ministry of Interior, stated in a previous episode of the “Interior Ministry Podcast” that the service targets a specific group of doctors to facilitate their access to hospitals during emergency situations. He noted that doctors responding to emergency calls often face challenges on the road, which prompted the launch of this service to ensure they reach hospitals quickly and safely, without endangering themselves or other road users.

Al Dhahouri clarified that the service does not apply to all doctors, but is limited to those within vital medical specialties. A doctor may register for the service only after meeting several conditions, starting with being part of one of the 13 approved vital specialties. Other requirements include obtaining prior approval to use the service, holding a valid medical license, and completing a training course on driving during emergency situations.

He explained the service mechanism, which begins when a doctor is called in by the hospital for an emergency case. The doctor logs into the ‘Wreiga’ service through the Ministry of Interior’s smart app and registers the emergency. The operations room is immediately notified and begins tracking the doctor’s route to the hospital, ensuring that any obstacles encountered along the way are addressed. Traffic patrols monitor the doctor’s movement and work to clear the path ahead, while also providing guidance and instructions through the operations room.

Before leaving for the hospital, the doctor must place a triangular green ‘lowah’ sign on the vehicle to indicate to road users that the driver is a doctor responding to an emergency, prompting them to give way and facilitate the doctor’s arrival at the hospital.

He pointed out that Ministerial Resolution No. 248 of 2020 regulates all exceptions related to the use of the road shoulder. Within this framework, doctors registered in the service are permitted certain exceptions, such as using the hard shoulder, driving in bus lanes, and exceeding the speed limit by up to 40km/h.

Al Dhahouri emphasized that the ultimate purpose of the service is to save the life of a patient waiting in the hospital. While some may think the doctor is the primary beneficiary, the true beneficiary is the patient whose life may depend on the doctor’s timely arrival.

He added that the Ministry of Interior developed the service in collaboration with government healthcare entities and continues to enhance it. A joint committee and several agreements have been established to support ongoing improvement.

Al Dhahouri highlighted the high uptake of the service among eligible doctors, with 97 percent of the targeted group already registered. He added that the ministry aims to expand the service to include a broader range of doctors and has successfully reduced average response time by 30 percent.

He acknowledged that the service faced some challenges at the beginning, which is expected with any new initiative, but noted that continuous improvements have been made. The service has received wide praise from doctors using it, as well as from several GCC countries that have expressed interest in adopting a similar system.