Emirati EMT Graduates with:
From right to left:
Dr Ayman Ahmad, Medical Director at National Ambulance
Ahmed Al Hajeri, CEO of National Ambulance
Professor Qutayba Hamid, Vice Chancellor for the Medical and Health Sciences Colleges at University of Sharjah
Prof.Salman Yousuf Guraya Vice Dean - College of Medicine at the University of Sharjah
Dr Nabil Sulaiman, head of family medicine and behavioural sciences at the University of Sharjah
11 June 2019: National Ambulance and the University of Sharjah (UOS), yesterday, celebrated the graduation of 25 Emirati students from Year 2 of the Emirati Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Programme with a ceremony at UOS. The programme was established by National Ambulance, in partnership with the University of Sharjah, to provide UAE Nationals with the knowledge and skills to pursue careers in the vital medical emergency care and prepare them to serve on the frontline in support of the community. The programme, in line with UAE Government’s Emiritisation plans, has doubled in size since it started and this year’s graduates will begin work on the frontline with National Ambulance in July.
The ceremony was held at the University of Sharjah’s campus under the patronage of Dr. Hamid Majul Al Nuaimi, Director of UOS, in the presence of Mr. Ahmed Saleh Al Hajeri, Chief Executive Officer of National Ambulance, Professor Qutayba Hamid, Vice Chancellor for the Medical and Health Sciences Colleges at UOS, Mr. Ahmed Mohammed Bo Haroun, Director General of the MOI Social Solidarity Fund and Managing Director of Fazaa, Col. Dr. Ali Abu Al-Zoud, representing the Sharjah Police General Command, and a number of officials from the National Ambulance, UOS, strategic partners and graduate’s families.
Eng. Hussein Al Harthi, Chairman of National Ambulance said: “We are very proud of this year’s graduates and their commitment to successfully complete the programme. We are committed to continuously investing in UAE youth’s energies in support of the emiritisation of the emergency pre-hospital care profession and carry on providing the medical sector with qualified Emirati professionals, enhancing the ambulance service.”
In his speech during the graduation ceremony, Ahmed Saleh Al Hajeri, National Ambulance CEO, expressed his happiness in successfully completing the second year of the programme, stressing the importance of integrating qualified national crews who are well-prepared to work in such vital sector and become an asset to the country.
Al Hajeri also praised the unlimited support given by the UAE leadership towards the programme and the continuous follow-up of Lt. General H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, as well as the interest received from strategic partners, including; the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Health and Prevention and all other programme partners.
He added that this year’s graduates did so in the Year of Tolerance, announced by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to establish the UAE as a global capital for tolerance. The Year of Tolerance is an extension of “Year of Zayed” representing the values of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed, who instilled the highest values of tolerance, co-existence, creating dialogue, accepting the other and openness towards other world cultures in his people.
Al Hajeri stressed that being an EMT is a noble profession with human aspects, based on compassion and helping others. Tolerance is the basic ethic of everyone who practices this profession. He added that National Ambulance deal with more than 200 different nationalities with the principle of work based on the values of professional tolerance, dedication in serving every person in the UAE, saving his or her life without discrimination, regardless of colour, sex, race, culture or religion.
He also noted that the UAE, through all its institutions, including National Ambulance, aim to achieve excellence in various fields. The Emirati EMT programme takes into account all the standards of excellence in preparing qualified national EMTs to take responsibility in performing the humanitarian duty undertaken by National Ambulance since its establishment.
Professor Qutayba Hamid, Vice Chancellor for the Medical and Health Sciences Colleges at University of Sharjah, said: "For the second year in a row, the University of Sharjah continues to prepare highly qualified Emirati professionals in partnership with National Ambulance to serve every human being in the UAE. The University is committed to academic performance and knowledge development to strengthen the integrated health care system in line with the priorities of the UAE National Vision 2021. This goes in line with these directives, as well as the directives of both H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah and Majoul Al Nuaimi, Director of the University of Sharjah, in constant pursuit to serve the community and improve the quality of life."
Commenting on his experience, Ali Sharaf, an Emirati EMT Graduate, said, “The pride, patriotism and call of duty is what brings us together as practitioners in the field, and we are all dedicated to fulfilling our humanitarian mission and I wish every success to all the Emirati youth who have chosen this field or will join it in the near future.”
Another of the graduates, Moza Al Matlaa’i, said, “I am happy that I have chosen this field. I hope to set an example for young Emiratis and encourage them to join us in continuing this journey and serving all those living in the UAE.”
The third year of the programme, will commence in September and take place over the academic year 2019-2020 at the Clinical and Surgical Training Centre at the University of Sharjah's College of Medicine. The full-time programme is based on international best practice from both an academic and a practical perspective, and is designed to provide UAE Nationals with the knowledge and skills to pursue careers in the field of emergency medical care. The programme provides a professional qualification in pre-hospital care and a guaranteed offer of a job at National Ambulance to those successfully completing it.
National Ambulance provides emergency pre-hospital care in the Northern Emirates through the dedicated 998 emergency ambulance number and NA 998 smart application. Its primary task is to handle public medical emergency response and provide high standards of emergency pre-hospital care to citizens, residents and visitors across the Emirates of Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al-Khaimah and Fujairah.