Expanding the scope of primary health care to facilitate customers’ access to services

Director General of the Emirates Health Services Corporation, Dr. Yousef Mohammed Al Sarkal, stressed that enhancing the readiness of the health system and ensuring the continuity of efficient provision of medical services in various circumstances represents a priority for protecting the health of society and the safety of its members, pointing to the pivotal role played by emergency centers and primary health care facilities in responding quickly to health needs and providing care to patients in a timely manner. This came during a field visit by Dr. Al Sarkal to the Emergency Operations Center and Khalidiya Health Center, to review the progress of work, the health services provided, and the level of readiness.

During the tour of the Emergency Operations Center, Dr. Al Sarkal was briefed on the work mechanism based on prevention, proactiveness, and speed of response, in addition to continuous monitoring of vital operations and health resources, which enhances readiness to serve patients with high efficiency, as the center constitutes an advanced model of an integrated operational system that works around the clock to manage health crises and emergencies, ensuring the continuity of providing services to customers without interruption.

The center also provides real-time coordination between the Foundation’s facilities and the relevant national authorities, which contributes to accelerating decision-making and directing medical resources effectively according to field needs, which reflects positively on the quality of health care and patient safety. The spread of the center’s branches in Sharjah, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah contributes to enhancing field readiness and accelerating response mechanisms on a wide geographical scale.

In the context of enhancing operational efficiency, Dr. Al Sarkal stressed that the Emirates Health Services Corporation is keen to develop and operate the “Ghaiyath” system for emergency and crisis management within its emergency operations centers, which is an advanced digital system that has intellectual property, and allows real-time monitoring of vital operations and directing medical capabilities to the locations most in need, while enhancing integration and immediate coordination with the relevant local authorities, ensuring smooth data exchange and increasing the speed of response.

This integrated system, which combines advanced digital solutions and best operational practices, reflects the organization’s commitment to applying global standards in health emergency management. This is evident in the fact that its Emergency Operations Center has obtained a number of international accreditations in the areas of business continuity, risk management and institutional flexibility, which enhances confidence in the health system’s readiness and its ability to deal efficiently with various challenges.

Dr. Al Sarkal’s visit also included the Khalidiya Health Center for Primary Health Care, which serves a population segment of approximately 9,000 people, providing a comprehensive package of medical services and contributing to facilitating customers’ access to health care without the need to go to hospitals.

Today, the center provides 22 health and diagnostic services, compared to 12 services in 2021, in an indicator that reflects the continuous expansion of the scope of care provided to meet the needs of society. These services include family medicine, urgent care, non-communicable diseases clinic, mental health, and dental services, in addition to maternal and child care, reproductive health services, which recorded 1,747 beneficiaries during the year 2025, and premarital examination and counseling services, which recorded 1,342 beneficiaries during the same year, thus enhancing the concept of family health care close to the community.

The center also provides preventive examinations, vaccinations, and integrated support services that include radiology, laboratory, pharmacy, and therapeutic nutrition, which allows customers to obtain a comprehensive treatment journey in one place, starting with early diagnosis and ending with treatment and health follow-up, which contributes to enhancing prevention, improving the quality of life, and providing an easier and smoother health experience for family members.

Dr. Al Sarkal explained that the Khalidiya Health Center receives about 35,000 visitors annually, while recording a high level of customer satisfaction of 95% according to the customer’s pulse, which reflects the efficiency of the services provided and the ease of access to them, in addition to the active role of the medical and administrative staff in providing a health experience centered around the needs of the family and enhancing community confidence in the health system.

Based on its keenness to improve the customer experience, the center continues to develop its services by launching a package of innovative initiatives and services, the most prominent of which is the telemedicine service that allows customers to obtain medical consultations easily and quickly, which recorded about 5,000 virtual visits during the year 2025. The center also organizes customer councils periodically to enhance direct communication with community members and listen to their needs.

The center’s initiatives also include the “Responsible at Your Service” initiative, which provides a direct communication channel with the administration to address inquiries and comments immediately, in addition to home delivery services for medicines, the medication inquiry service, and the “Safe Diabetes” initiative, which supports patients in managing diabetes effectively and improving their quality of life.

At the conclusion of the visit, Dr. Al Sarkal praised the efforts of the medical and administrative staff in the two centers, stressing the importance of continuing to develop services and promoting the adoption of digital solutions and medical innovations, which contributes to improving the customer experience and facilitating the community’s access to health care according to the highest quality standards, and in a way that supports the UAE’s vision of building a world-leading health system centered around human health and well-being.