Every country claims its health system is prepared. The real test is what happens when that claim is put under pressure. In the UAE, that test has been met not only through the strength of our institutions, but through leadership grounded in compassion and responsibility.
President Sheikh Mohamed personally visited several of those injured in Iran’s recent attacks in hospital, reaffirming that the safety, wellbeing and dignity of every resident remain at the heart of the nation’s response in times of crisis.
Even in the face of these attacks, the security situation in the UAE remains stable and under control, with national institutions operating at the highest level of readiness. The safety of citizens, residents and visitors remains our primary concern.
That resolve has been tested under extraordinary circumstances. In a matter of weeks, the UAE faced nearly 3,000 drones and missiles in unprovoked terrorist attacks launched by Iran. Ports came under strain. Supply routes were disrupted. Yet across the country, daily life did not pause. Children returned to their classrooms. Flights continued to depart. Trade kept moving. And our health system did not skip a beat.
Hospitals across the UAE remained fully operational, continuing to treat both urgent and routine cases without interruption. Emergency teams responded immediately and effectively. Critical care capacity was maintained throughout. Essential medicines and supplies remained available, and mental health services were rapidly mobilised to support the wider community.
For me, as a new minister entrusted with the health of all UAE citizens, residents and tourists, this moment tested not only our healthcare system but equally my own understanding of its true depth and resolve.
Too often, healthcare systems are described in terms of plans, capacity, or preparedness. These matter but are not the measure. The real test is whether a system continues to function when pressure is sustained, conditions are uncertain and demand is high.
By that standard, the war did more than test the UAE’s health system. It demonstrated that we could operate without interruption under real-world stress.
This did not happen by chance.
The Covid-19 pandemic was a turning point for health systems globally. In the UAE, it forced a reassessment of what true preparedness requires – not only clinical capacity, but co-ordination across federal and local bodies, operational flexibility, resilient supply chains and a strong workforce.
The results are now visible.
Across the country, our providers adjusted rapidly to evolving needs while maintaining continuity of care. Public and private sectors operated as a single ecosystem, enabling speed and flexibility. Federal co-ordination and local execution ensured decisions were timely and grounded in operational reality. This combination – clear national direction with empowered local implementation – is one of the defining features of the UAE’s approach, and a critical factor in our ability to respond effectively under pressure.
Supply chains, often the point of failure in crisis, also proved resilient. The UAE’s role as a regional hub for pharma and medical logistics, supported by long-standing global partnerships, enabled continuity even as routes came under strain amid instability around the Strait of Hormuz – a vital waterway critical not only to the Gulf, but to global energy, food, and supply chains.
The presence of global manufacturers, established distribution networks and co-ordinated logistics systems meant that disruption did not translate into shortage. In healthcare, our resilience depends as much on what happens beyond the hospital walls as within them. It also depends on our people.
Across hospitals, ambulances and emergency teams, frontline workers from diverse backgrounds – in a country home to more than 200 nationalities living in harmony, security and peace – operated as one system: communicating clearly, adapting quickly, and delivering care with consistency under pressure. Their performance is what gives preparedness its meaning. Systems do not act. People do.
A strong system is a design. The engine is the people who show up. And in this moment, ours did. Every single one of them.
The nature of risk is changing. Health systems are no longer tested by a single category of crisis – pandemics, geopolitical disruption, environmental pressures and supply chain instability are increasingly interconnected. The recent conflict reinforced a simple point: resilience cannot be built for a single scenario. It must withstand complex, prolonged and unpredictable pressures.
Looking ahead, we recognise that external shocks – geopolitical, environmental or disease-related – will remain a reality of our world. Although we hope to avoid crises, we must always be ready for them. Our commitment is to continue strengthening an integrated health system that is not only reactive, but anticipatory – one that protects, adapts and evolves.
This is the foundation of trust – trust that the system will respond, that care will be available and that, together, we are prepared. In the UAE, health is not the responsibility of one entity, one sector or one authority. It is a collective commitment. And in this moment of challenge, that commitment has proven stronger than ever.
The true measure of preparedness is not just surviving a crisis, but maintaining stability, protecting lives, and emerging stronger and better equipped for what comes next.
The UAE has faced difficult moments before and emerged stronger each time. This moment is no different. Even under pressure, we have demonstrated that our systems are robust, our economy remains dynamic and our ambitions continue unabated.
