Emergency Care in the UAE: 998, 999, and Urgent Care

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

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 — the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority in Abu Dhabi, where Abu Dhabi Police's AD999 app can also request one, the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services in Dubai and National Ambulance in the northern emirates — 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, 999 is the first call; if anyone is hurt, leave the vehicles where they are and wait for the ambulance.

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.

112 — not on the UAE's list

112 is not among the emergency numbers the UAE government lists (999, 998, 997, 996 for the coastguard and 995 for search and rescue). Dial 999 for police, 998 for an ambulance and 997 for fire; calls to emergency services are free from any phone line.

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 or 997. The federal portal at u.ae aggregates official contact details.

The UAE Ambulance System

Ambulance services split between public services run by government ambulance operators, 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 — who runs it and what it costs

The headline rule: in an emergency, treatment to stabilise the patient is free, whatever their nationality, residency or insurance; other treatment is paid by cash, card or insurance. In Dubai, the fee for an emergency ambulance is billed to the patient's insurer, no share of it may be charged to the patient, and the service is free if the patient is uninsured; injuries from traffic accidents fall under a separate fee resolution. The Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority in Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services in Dubai and National Ambulance in the northern emirates operate paramedic-staffed fleets dispatched through 998, and an air ambulance may be sent if needed. Scheduled non-emergency transport is charged: in Dubai, AED 500 a trip within the emirate by regular ambulance, plus AED 20 in fees, and free for UAE citizens. No fee is a reason to delay a 998 call.

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. Private operators set their own prices, so ask for a written quote; 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 and Basic plans regulated by the DOH in Abu Dhabi — 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 a private ambulance, the patient pays nothing or only the policy copay; Dubai's public emergency ambulance carries no copay at all. 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 (800HOPE) line operates daily from 8am to 8pm (noon to midnight during Ramadan) with trained volunteers. 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 usually faster and cheaper for a non-emergency, 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 a health app 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. Treatment to stabilise an emergency is free; the table below describes what happens after that, when a bill is issued.

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. If you reach 999 by mistake, the operator will connect you to ambulance dispatch — do not hang up and redial.

Is the ambulance free?

In Dubai, the patient pays nothing for an emergency ambulance: the fee is billed to the insurer, no share of it may be charged to the patient, and the service is free if the patient is uninsured; injuries from traffic accidents fall under a separate fee rule, and for other emirates, ask the operator. Scheduled non-emergency transport is charged: Dubai's public service charges AED 500 a trip within the emirate, free for UAE citizens. 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 saved on your phone 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?

Arrival time depends on location and traffic, and 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?

In Dubai, no: an emergency ambulance is billed to your insurer, you cannot be charged any share of the fee, and it is free if you are uninsured (traffic-accident injuries fall under a separate fee rule; for other emirates, ask the operator). Scheduled non-emergency transport is charged — in Dubai, AED 500 a trip within the emirate, free for UAE citizens. 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, 999 is the first call; if anyone is hurt, leave the vehicles where they are and wait for the ambulance.

For wider context, see the UAE healthcare guide hub.