Dubai Ambulance Service to Launch Facial Recognition System for Emergency Patient ID

The Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS) has announced plans to implement a facial recognition system for emergency medical services by mid-2025. The system will enable rapid identification of unconscious patients or those without identification by scanning their faces and accessing their records through integration with the Emirates ID database and other secure platforms.

Marwan Ali Anbar, chief AI officer and ambulance operations consultant at DCAS, explained the system’s necessity: “Sometimes it’s very hard to recognise patient identity, especially if they’re unconscious and have no ID. This app solves that by using facial recognition to instantly pull up patient information.”

The technology will allow hospitals to prepare for incoming patients before their arrival, potentially improving treatment outcomes. “It is easier and faster than physically scanning Emirates ID,” Anbar said.. “That said, we don’t deny ambulance services to people without ID. Having data linked to the ID helps with quicker access to medical records.” The system will operate within the UAE’s strict healthcare data privacy framework, which mandates secure handling of patient information and requires explicit consent for data sharing.

Alongside the facial recognition system, DCAS will launch an updated AI-powered SOS application in the second half of 2025. The app will provide preliminary medical advice and tutorials for handling emergency situations like choking or fever before paramedics arrive.

DCAS is also implementing a centralized dashboard for tracking emergency cases and optimizing resource allocation. The system will record data about the number and types of cases to identify critical hotspots and inform health research. The dashboard will integrate with Dubai’s existing smart city infrastructure, which has been expanding since 2020.

The initiatives were showcased at the Arab Health 2025 event in Dubai, where DCAS demonstrated these technological advancements in emergency medical services. Future plans include expanding the technology to cover all emergency cases to further improve response times. The system is part of Dubai’s broader healthcare digitization strategy, which aims to create a fully integrated electronic health record system by 2030.

Source: Gulf News

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January 28, 2025 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team