ABU DHABI, 27th August, 2026 (WAM) — The Emirates Cardiac Resuscitation Society has launched the first integrated national programme for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid.
The programme aims to train and qualify 10,000 people working in healthcare and non-healthcare sectors and reach 10 million beneficiaries through awareness campaigns and life-saving skills over the next five years.
The programme is being implemented under the supervision of the Resuscitation Coalition, which brings together government, private and non-profit organisations. It is an initiative of the National Medical Preparedness and Response Programme (Jahiziyah), with academic, technical, operational and logistical support from the National Training Foundation (Tadreeb), in coordination with relevant official and regulatory bodies in the UAE.
The initiative aims to equip community members with the skills to recognise early signs of cardiac arrest and stroke, contact emergency services, immediately begin CPR and use an automated external defibrillator during the critical minutes before ambulance and emergency teams arrive.
It seeks to promote proactive and safe intervention and a culture of shared responsibility for saving lives, helping increase survival rates and reduce deaths and complications caused by delayed response.
Target groups include medical, nursing, technical and administrative staff at hospitals and healthcare facilities; employees of government and private entities; school and university staff; and workers in factories, companies, shopping centres, hotels, and tourism and sports facilities.
The programme also targets family members, women’s and youth associations, people with disabilities and their caregivers, volunteers, first responders, and community members of all age groups.
The programme relies on practical training, medical simulations, and realistic scenarios, enhancing participants’ ability to make sound decisions and implement life-saving interventions efficiently, quickly, and safely.
The initiative aims to establish a national network of certified trainers, standardise scientific and training content in line with the latest international standards and practices, and develop specialised train-the-trainer programmes to support its sustainability and expansion across the UAE.
It will also establish a national database of trainers, volunteers, first responders and qualified facilities in CPR and first aid, and conduct periodic exercises and simulations to assess response times and team efficiency, identify areas for improvement and strengthen coordination among participating institutions, healthcare facilities, ambulance services and community organisations.
Dr. Adel Al-Shamri Al-Ajami, CEO of the Zayed Giving Initiative, Chairman of the Emirates Doctors Initiative, President of the Emirates Society for Cardiac Resuscitation (Etaash), and CEO of Jahiziyah, said the first few minutes after cardiac arrest are the most critical and that starting CPR and using an AED before paramedics arrive can significantly improve the chances of survival and reduce complications.
He said the programme aims to build a comprehensive national system encompassing community awareness, the training of instructors and volunteers, accreditation of prepared facilities, wider availability of automated external defibrillators and regular readiness assessment exercises.
Source: Emirates News Agency