The UAE runs a federal emergency telephone system on a small set of three-digit numbers, with public ambulance and ER care available to anyone in a life-threatening situation regardless of nationality, residency or insurance. This article sets out which number to call, how the public and private ambulance systems differ, when ER is the right destination and when urgent care is faster, what to bring, and what costs to expect after the emergency. Administrative reference, not clinical advice — if unsure whether a situation is an emergency, treat it as one and call 998.
At a Glance
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ambulance and medical emergency | 998 — federal ambulance line |
| Police | 999 — also routes medical emergencies if dialled by mistake |
| Civil Defence (fire, accident extraction) | 997 |
| Universal mobile emergency | 112 — works on any GSM mobile, routes to nearest service |
| Mental health crisis | 8004673 (8004HOPE) — 24/7 federal mental support line |
| Public ER, life-threatening case | Free at point of use to anyone, regardless of insurance or residency |
| Public ER, non-emergency, uninsured non-national | Tiered fees, AED 100-300 typical per visit |
| Private ER without insurance | AED 1,500-3,500 cash for the consultation; imaging, admission and surgery billed separately |
| Urgent care clinic visit | AED 200-700 typical, lower with in-network insurance |
| Ambulance arrival target (major city) | 8-15 minutes typical urban response |
| Paediatric emergency | Most major hospitals have paediatric ER cover; some operate a dedicated paediatric emergency department |
| What to bring | Emirates ID, insurance card, current medication list, allergy and condition notes, family contact |
Emergency Numbers — When to Call What
The set below is what a UAE resident needs to memorise. If unsure which is right for the situation, call 998 or 999 — operators on both lines are trained to triage and connect.
998 — Ambulance / Medical (federal)
998 is the federal ambulance number. Call it for any medical emergency requiring urgent transport — chest pain, suspected stroke, severe breathing difficulty, anaphylaxis, severe bleeding, loss of consciousness, seizures, severe burns, overdose or major trauma. The operator asks for location, nature of the emergency, patient age and condition, and whether they are conscious and breathing. Stay on the line until told to hang up. The dispatched ambulance is a public service — DHA Ambulance, SEHA / Abu Dhabi Police, or MOHAP / EHS — and the call is free.
999 — Police (also routes medical emergencies)
999 is the police line. Use it for crime in progress, road accidents, security threats and any situation needing police presence. 999 also routes medical emergencies — the operator dispatches police and connects to ambulance dispatch as needed. For a road accident with injuries, 999 is the usual first call; police attendance is required for any insurance claim and ambulance support is dispatched in parallel.
997 — Civil Defence (fire, accidents requiring extraction)
997 is the Civil Defence number. Call it for fires, gas leaks, building collapses, vehicle fires, and incidents where a person is trapped and needs technical extraction. Civil Defence arrives with rescue equipment alongside the 998 ambulance. Calling any of 997, 998 or 999 in a multi-service emergency notifies all services.
112 — Universal emergency (mobile)
112 is the universal GCC and international emergency number, working on any GSM mobile and routing to the nearest available service. It works with no SIM, no credit, a locked handset, or no roaming agreement. For visitors, 112 is the easiest to remember; for residents, the dedicated 998 / 999 / 997 lines are slightly faster.
Hospital direct lines and authority call centres
Health authorities and hospitals publish their own toll-free numbers for non-emergency contact — planned transfers, admission queries, chronic-condition support. DHA, DOH, MOHAP and SEHA each operate call centres. Do not use these for active emergencies; always use 998, 999, 997 or 112. The federal portal at u.ae aggregates official contact details.
The UAE Ambulance System
Ambulance services split between public services run by the emirate health authorities and police, and private services operated by hospital groups or contracted by insurers. The public service is the default route through 998; private ambulance is used mainly for inter-hospital transfers, repatriation and planned transport.
Public ambulance — free at point of use in life-threatening cases
The headline rule: in a life-threatening emergency, the public ambulance and the public ER are free at point of use, regardless of nationality, residency or insurance. DHA Ambulance in Dubai, the Abu Dhabi Police / SEHA system, and MOHAP / EHS in the northern emirates operate paramedic-staffed fleets dispatched through 998, with specialist units for critical, neonatal and bariatric transport and helicopter EMS for remote transfers. For non-emergency transport, billing varies by emirate; any fee is modest and never a reason to delay calling.
Private ambulance and direct admission to a private hospital
Private ambulance services exist alongside the public system, mainly for planned and inter-facility transport. Several private hospital groups run their own fleets that admit patients directly into their emergency departments, and dedicated providers handle medical repatriation. Private ambulance is arranged through the patient's insurer or by direct booking. Pricing for a local transfer ranges from several hundred to a few thousand dirhams; air ambulance is higher and almost always insurance-mediated. For a true emergency, call 998 — do not delay to arrange private transport.
Insurance and ambulance billing
Mandatory health insurance — DHIP plans in Dubai, Basic plans regulated by the DOH in Abu Dhabi, and equivalent schemes elsewhere — must include emergency cover. Mid-tier and premium products extend cover to private ambulance services and add direct-admission rights to network private hospitals. Where the insurer covers the ambulance, the patient pays nothing or only the policy copay. The insurance guide covers tiers and mandatory minimums.
Emergency Room — When to Go
Emergency departments are built for life-threatening, time-critical illness and injury. UAE ERs run a triage system: patients are seen in order of severity, not arrival. A non-emergency walk-in can wait several hours while ambulance arrivals and critical cases are managed first. For non-emergencies, urgent care or primary care is faster and cheaper.
Life-threatening symptoms — go to ER or call 998
If in doubt, default to calling 998 — telephone triage is free.
- Chest pain — central, crushing or radiating, with sweating, breathlessness, nausea or arm / jaw pain. Treat as suspected heart attack.
- Stroke signs (FAST) — Face droop, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call. Minutes determine outcome.
- Severe breathing difficulty — inability to speak in full sentences, blue lips, gasping, severe asthma not responding to inhaler.
- Anaphylaxis — facial or throat swelling, hives with breathing difficulty, collapse after a known allergen. Use an adrenaline auto-injector if prescribed and call 998.
- Severe bleeding that does not stop with firm direct pressure.
- Major trauma — high-speed road accidents, falls from height, serious burns, head injuries with loss of consciousness, suspected spinal injury.
- Severe burns — deep, large area, or to face, hands, feet, genitals, or any inhalation burn.
- Loss of consciousness, seizure over five minutes, or first-ever seizure.
- Suspected poisoning, overdose, or ingestion of a hazardous substance.
Children — when paediatric ER is the right call
Children deteriorate faster than adults and the ER threshold is lower. Paediatric red flags include persistent high fever in an infant under three months, fever with non-blanching rash, severe breathing difficulty, persistent vomiting with dehydration, drowsiness, suspected ingestion, head injury with vomiting, and any seizure. Most major hospitals run a paediatric ER pathway; some operate a dedicated paediatric ED around the clock. See the kids' healthcare guide; for an active emergency, call 998.
Mental health crisis — acute risk vs hotline
For immediate risk to life — active suicidal intent with means, self-harm causing serious injury, or severe psychotic episode with risk to self or others — call 998 or 999. Police and ambulance respond and the patient is taken to an ER with a psychiatric pathway. For non-life-threatening crisis, severe distress, or suicidal thoughts without immediate plan, the federal 8004673 (8004HOPE) line operates 24/7 with trained counsellors. The mental health guide covers community services and inpatient units.
Urgent Care vs Emergency Room
Urgent care is the middle layer between a routine GP appointment and an ER. A walk-in or after-hours clinic handles non-life-threatening conditions needing same-day attention but not ER-level resources. Compared with an ER, urgent care is faster (typical wait under an hour rather than two to six hours in a busy ER non-emergency queue), cheaper (AED 200-700 per visit rather than AED 1,500-3,500 for a private ER consultation), and uses regular insurance cover.
Conditions appropriate for urgent care include moderate fevers in adults, throat, ear and urinary infections, minor cuts needing stitches, sprains and minor fractures, skin infections, mild asthma flares, vomiting and diarrhoea without severe dehydration, and post-hours GP issues. Anything in the life-threatening list above should bypass urgent care and go to ER; the urgent care clinician will refer onward if hospital-level care is needed.
UAE urgent care includes walk-in pathways at Rashid Hospital and other Dubai Health centres, urgent care offerings inside Mediclinic, NMC, Aster and Burjeel networks, and standalone clinics in residential districts. Which suits a given patient depends on insurance network, location and opening hours. The finding-a-doctor guide covers licence verification through DHA Sheryan, DOH Tamm and MOHAP tools.
What to Bring to the Emergency Room
The list below is short on purpose — bring whatever you can grab in thirty seconds. Hospitals treat without paperwork in a life-threatening case; these items speed up registration, billing and clinical decisions but are not preconditions.
- Emirates ID — the primary identifier in the UAE health system. The federal Riayati record is keyed to it, so producing it lets the ER pull existing prescriptions, allergies and recent encounters. See the Emirates ID guide.
- Insurance card or app — speeds admission and avoids cash deposits at private ERs.
- Current medication list — names, doses, frequencies; a phone photo of labels is enough. Critical for cardiac, anticoagulant, diabetic, asthma, epilepsy or psychiatric medication.
- Allergy and condition notes — drug allergies, chronic conditions, recent surgeries, pregnancy status.
- Family contact — a number the ER can call if you need next-of-kin consent.
- Recent investigations — ECGs, scans, blood tests or discharge summaries on your phone or in Riayati / Tabeebi / Salama save repeated work.
For paediatric emergencies, bring the vaccination record. For pregnancy emergencies, bring the antenatal book or app. ER staff in major UAE hospitals handle Arabic and English routinely.
Costs Without Insurance
Cost concerns should never delay calling 998. Public emergency care for a life-threatening case is free at point of use. The figures below describe what happens after the emergency is resolved and a bill is issued.
| Service | Public hospital (typical) | Private hospital (typical, before insurance) |
|---|---|---|
| Ambulance — life-threatening case | Free at point of use to anyone | Not applicable; 998 dispatches public ambulance |
| Ambulance — non-emergency transport | Modest fee where charged; varies by emirate | AED 800-3,000 for local transfer; air ambulance materially higher |
| ER consultation — life-threatening case | Free at point of use | Treated; billed afterwards if uninsured |
| ER consultation — non-emergency, uninsured non-national | AED 100-300 typical copay | AED 1,500-3,500 cash before imaging or admission |
| Urgent care clinic visit | Public walk-in: tiered fee where applicable | AED 200-700 typical with copay; lower in network |
| Diagnostic imaging during ER visit | Bundled into ER fee for entitled categories | AED 500-3,000 for X-ray / ultrasound; AED 1,500-6,000 for CT or MRI |
| Emergency surgery and inpatient admission | Subsidised for entitled categories | AED 5,000-15,000 per night standard room; ICU substantially higher |
If a bill cannot be paid, hospitals typically allow staged payment and charity programmes exist for catastrophic cases — the social worker office at any major public hospital is the first contact. The hospitals guide covers facility-level pricing; the cost of living guide sets this in wider budget context.
Frequently Asked Questions
What number do I call for an ambulance in the UAE?
Call 998 — the federal ambulance number. It goes directly to the relevant emirate's ambulance dispatch. On a mobile, 112 also works and routes to the nearest service. If you reach 999 by mistake, the operator will connect you to ambulance dispatch — do not hang up and redial.
Is the ambulance free?
For a life-threatening emergency, the public ambulance dispatched on 998 is free at point of use, regardless of nationality, residency or insurance. For non-emergency transport, billing varies by emirate and a modest fee may apply. Private ambulance is charged separately and typically arranged through insurance or direct booking.
When should I go to ER vs urgent care?
Go to ER (or call 998) for any life-threatening symptom — chest pain, stroke signs, severe breathing difficulty, anaphylaxis, severe bleeding, major trauma, severe burns, seizures or loss of consciousness. Go to urgent care for non-life-threatening conditions needing same-day attention — moderate fevers, infections, minor injuries, sprains, post-hours GP issues. ER triage prioritises critical cases, so urgent care is faster and cheaper for everything else.
What do I bring to the emergency room?
Bring your Emirates ID, insurance card, a list of current medications, notes on drug allergies and chronic conditions, and a family contact. Recent investigations in Riayati / Salama / Tabeebi help avoid repeated work. None are preconditions for treatment in a life-threatening case — hospitals treat first and bill afterwards.
How long does the ambulance take to arrive?
Public ambulance services in major UAE cities target 8-15 minutes for urban response; remote locations take longer. Stay on the phone with the 998 operator until told to hang up — the operator can guide you through CPR, bleeding control, choking and seizure management while the ambulance is en route.
Can I be charged for an ambulance ride?
For a life-threatening emergency dispatched on 998, the public ambulance is free at point of use. For non-emergency transport, some emirates charge a modest fee. Private ambulance is charged at private rates. If you are billed for what you believed was an emergency call, the hospital social work office or the health authority's complaints channel can review the case.
What if my child needs emergency care?
For any paediatric emergency — high fever in a young infant, fever with non-blanching rash, severe breathing difficulty, dehydration, head injury with vomiting, suspected ingestion, drowsiness or seizure — call 998 or go to the nearest ER. Most major UAE hospitals run a paediatric ER pathway; several operate a dedicated paediatric emergency department. Bring the child's Emirates ID and vaccination record. The kids' healthcare guide covers routine paediatric care.
What's the difference between calling 998 and 999?
998 is the medical emergency line and goes directly to ambulance dispatch. 999 is the police line and the conventional first call for crime, security threats and road accidents. In a road accident with injuries, 999 is the usual first call because police attendance is required for any insurance claim; the operator dispatches ambulance support in parallel. Both lines are integrated and either operator will route to the other service as needed.
For wider context, see the UAE healthcare guide hub.
