DHA and Dubai Police Launch 'Strategic Exercise' Initiative Collaboration

Photo : Dubai Government Media Office

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA), in collaboration with the Dubai Police General Command, has launched the "Strategic Exercise" initiative to evaluate the readiness of Dubai's healthcare sector in responding to crises. This initiative, driven by the Resilience Centre, aims to enhance the sector's ability to handle emergencies, disasters, and health-related situations through a comprehensive assessment of its readiness and response capabilities.

The strategic exercise was attended by prominent officials, including HE Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority; HE Major General Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, Acting Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Operations Affairs and Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Crisis and Disaster Management Team in Dubai; Major General Rashid Khalifa Al Falasi, Director of the General Department of Transport and Rescue at Dubai Police; Major General Jamal bin Adhed Al Muhairi, Assistant Director General for Resources and Support Services Affairs in the General Directorate of Civil Defence in Dubai; and Mishal Julfar, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services.

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Dr. Khalid Lootah, Consultant in the Public Health and Protection department at the DHA, highlighted that the exercise included several emergency and health crisis scenarios, serving as a precursor to a forthcoming field exercise in collaboration with the Dubai Police’s Resilience Centre. The initiative is a key component of the DHA's strategy to rigorously assess and improve the healthcare sector's preparedness for health emergencies.

Dr. Lootah outlined the initiative's goals, which include defining roles and tasks, implementing preventive measures to minimize crisis likelihood, ensuring partner readiness, and verifying local risk registers. The exercise also aims to coordinate efforts among various Dubai entities, assess specialized teams' plans, and enhance decision-making capabilities during emergencies.

The initiative focuses on several critical aspects, such as leadership, control, information exchange, role activation, media coverage, and alternative site readiness. Dr. Lootah emphasized the importance of setting clear objectives, strengthening disaster preparedness, fostering active partner participation, and continuously improving plans and procedures.

Expert Brigadier Ahmad Atiq Burqibah, Director of the Resilience Centre at Dubai Police, commended the collaboration with the DHA, noting that it aligns with Dubai Police's commitment to integrated crisis management. The Resilience Centre's role includes managing all types of crisis challenges, including health-related ones, by leveraging its expertise to support various entities in executing joint scenarios and sharing best practices.

Brigadier Burqibah highlighted the Resilience Centre's achievements in 2023, including conducting 155 exercises with 76 partners, which encompassed 20 strategic exercises and 135 internal drills. The Centre's success rate of 100% underscores Dubai Police’s dedication to enhancing readiness and performance. This commitment has contributed to Dubai being recognized with the Model City Award by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and receiving the Dubai Certification as the Best Model Resilient City Worldwide. Additionally, the Resilience Centre has introduced the first security forecasting program in the Middle East to anticipate global events and threats.

The "Strategic Exercise" initiative represents a significant step in bolstering Dubai’s healthcare sector's ability to effectively manage emergencies and maintain high standards of crisis preparedness.