Dubai’s Community Development Authority, CDA, has signed an agreement with the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, DCAS.

The MoU seeks to harmonise efforts of both organisations to launch and support a range of community initiatives, most notable of which is CDA’s "Waleef" programme – tapping into DCAS’s fourth-generation smart infrastructure to improve living standards for elderly citizens, and encourage volunteers to help this segment of society.

The agreement grants CDA access to DCAS’s one-of-a-kind smart system, which it can use to document and follow-up on cases, as well as in its decision-making process. The authority will create a database of older persons living alone in the Emirate of Dubai, collect all necessary information and reports to provide them with the appropriate service, determine the tasks required from the volunteers, and supervise the volunteers’ work. The authority will also measure and document the impact of the initiative on its target group.

The MoU was signed by CDA’s Director-General, Ahmed Abdul Karim Julfar, and Khalifa Hassan Al Darai, Executive Director of DCAS, in the presence of a host of officials and employees from both organisations.

Julfar said, "This partnership with the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services is a significant step forward in the authority’s strategic plan to upgrade services for all segments of society in Dubai. It reflects our commitment to strengthening our partnership with trailblazing individuals and organisations to develop regulatory frameworks for these services, and utilise modern technology to increase the number of beneficiaries, especially among the elderly."

"Our end goal is to replicate success stories and implement effective initiatives that target older citizens," Julfar added. "We want to offer them top-notch services that adhere to international best practices. Furthermore, we are looking to promote volunteer work within the community, and to guide volunteers to channel their energy towards serving vulnerable groups, most notably, older persons."

Khalifa Hassan Al Darai, Executive Director of DCAS said, "Elderly citizens in the UAE have always enjoyed high social status as an important segment of the authentic social, cultural and religious UAE mosaic. The corporation is keen to cooperate with the Community Development Authority and all government entities to further guarantee a decent lifestyle them, especially as they have the insight, knowledge and experience that can be spread to future generations."

Al-Darai added, "The signing of this agreement with CDA, which aims to set the framework to provide further care for the elderly living alone in Dubai via the "Waleef" initiative, is a direct result of the noble efforts that aim to encourage community members to volunteer and serve the elderly. This goes together with the enhancement of social responsibility towards the elderly in all sectors of society." He also pointed out that the activation of the unique system developed by DCAS is a great step forward to speed up the documentation, follow-up, evaluation and decision -making processes, leading to better services for the elderly.

The MoU aims to improve living conditions for older persons living alone, create a safe environment for them, integrate them with their family and the larger community, and facilitate transport for older citizens registered with the programme to their medical appointments by Dubai Ambulance in clinics and hospitals across Dubai.