As part of its precautionary measures against "Covid 19", the Government Support Department implements 12 initiatives to support the government work system

In light of the decisions issued by the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, the Ministry of Health and Community Protection, the Ministry of Interior, and government efforts to implement advanced health measures to protect society from the dangers of the emerging corona virus, the Department of Government Support - Abu Dhabi announced its implementation of a package of government initiatives in support of the work system in accordance with the precautionary and preventive measures and procedures taken in the country during this critical period to prevent the spread of the Corona virus and preserve safety and public health.

Mr. Mohammed Hamad Al Hamli, Acting Undersecretary of the Department of Governmental Support, said: “The implementation of these initiatives was made at a time when all efforts are combined to provide supportive structures to preserve human lives and businesses and providing government services constantly in accordance with the highest standards of quality, efficiency and safety, and in a manner that enhances the flexibility and capabilities of government agencies in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in terms of performance and achievement to keep pace with the interim developments and future requirements in accordance with the studied proactive plans to overcome crises, face challenges and achieve strong results.”

The Acting Undersecretary of the Department stressed the importance of complying with and responding to the existing government initiatives and procedures in addressing the Corona virus epidemic (the new Corona virus - Covid 19) and supporting those efforts made as a team to overcome the crisis by adhering to the rules, regulations, laws and instructions issued by the Government Support Department and other official bodies in the state in such conditions in order to provide a safe environment.

In relation to impact of government digital transformation in facing different circumstances at the local and global levels. Al Hamli said: “The wise leadership has placed digital transformation at the top of its priorities and has developed accurate plans and strategies, and started in implementing them to achieve leadership in the field of digital leadership worldwide in all circumstances. And today we are witnessing the results of these government visions and the operations that are implemented with flexibility, quality and high performance as a result of the readiness of the government system in addressing the crises and emergencies in all their forms”.

The Abu Dhabi Human Resources Authority, the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority and the Abu Dhabi Government Academy participated in the implementation of these initiatives with the Department of Governmental Support and in coordination and close cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, the Ministry of Education, the Department of Health, the Department of Education and Knowledge and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center.

As part of its initiatives, the Department of Government Support issued a circular on the precautionary and preventive measures and procedures for government agencies, in which it discussed a number of recommendations and guidelines that address the public interest and maintain the health and safety of all employees in government departments and agencies in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in accordance with the directives issued by government agencies, including the implementation of decisions and instructions and the conditions related to the precautionary and preventive measures issued by the competent authorities in the country such as the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the National Authority for Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Health and Community Protection including quarantine in the event of travel and return to the country through border crossings, and urging employees to follow preventive methods and maintain personal hygiene and not going to workplaces in case of feeling of any infectious disease symptoms such as cold and cough, and taking the necessary remedial measures in health centers, stopping the use of fingerprints in daily attendance and leaving, encouraging the use of platforms and technological means to conduct meetings and accomplish tasks, and canceling all internal events that focus on gathering employees in one place within the workplaces, and undertaking to sterilizing public and common facilities and places in the workplaces in accordance with the hygiene, sterilization and public health guidelines issued by the competent authorities in the country.

In order to execute the content of the issued circular, the Department of Government Support issued explanatory instructions to all government agencies for the mechanism of work to implement and apply these preventive measures. These instructions included general directives issued by the Abu Dhabi Center for Public Health in relation to the emerging corona virus.

The Government Support Department stressed that the health and safety employees in government agencies are required to attend the workshops and educational lectures organized by the Center, and to take the necessary precautionary measures and apply them in accordance with the interim requirements that the country is going through, such as providing thermal cameras at workplaces to monitor the temperature of employees and customers as a precautionary measure, and the possibility of rotation in the working hours between departments to reduce the number of employees in one working period in the same building, and to cancel all workshops, forums and activities until further notice, and to adopt the use of modern technologies to communicate with employees, consulting companies and service providers in a manner that does not conflict with the internal information security policies of the business entity, and to distribute masks and sterilizers among employees and to use single-use paper cups and all means that would reduce the possibilities and opportunities for transmission of the virus from one person to another, taking into account the importance of educating and spreading awareness among employees specialized in providing public services, such as cleaners and others, about preventive measures to limit the spread of the emerging corona virus (Covid 19), and publish the accompanying educational guidelines in several languages to ensure the education of all those around and dealers. The Government Support Department also stressed the need to rely on technical solutions in internal and external correspondences and letters, and to coordinate with the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority to benefit from its digital services, and to activate the remote work system, as the Government Support Department issued a circular to government agencies using remote work techniques and providing the digital communication and interaction system for all government agencies in order to preserve government human resources.

In this context and after announcing the launch of the Digital Month initiative, which is a unique initiative that reflects the ambitious vision of the wise leadership to employ information technology in the service of society, improve the government work system, and enhance the customers’ benefit from innovative digital services and solutions, the Government Support Department has developed an awareness plan to enhance The digital system of the Abu Dhabi Government, as the capital of leadership and innovation, and demonstrate the benefits of digital services to the public by announcing the initiatives available through the digital channels of the various government agencies in the Emirate, represented in the use of the Internet, artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies in order to enable the maximum benefit from the digital infrastructure in the Emirate, and to provide services remotely to the audience using digital channels to facilitate the process of obtaining services.

The Abu Dhabi Government has through its digital transformation initiatives, received more than 16 million visits to government service centers, and completed 8 million digital transactions during the fourth quarter of 2019, equivalent to more than 300,000 working days for government employees in light of the digital developments that are conducting in Abu Dhabi. This has been achieved by providing more than 1,000 government services that are provided through digital channels, and work is still continuing to develop and raise digital transformation indicators in the government work system in the Emirate.

On the other hand, the Department of Government Support and through the Abu Dhabi Governmental Academy has provided an integrated platform for distance training in order to provide various training courses supporting the building government competencies in various vital sectors in the Emirate.

The Department and in coordination with the Human Resources Authority, issued "remote work procedures and controls in government agencies in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi" guide during the current circumstances in order to raise the level of transparency and productivity at work, standardize procedures in accordance with specific standards and controls, and clarify the duties and obligations of both the employer and government employee and the procedures and penalties in case of violation to ensure the continuity of business flow in a manner that supports the provision of services to customers according to the highest standards without affecting the level of service. The Human Resources Authority has issued at the direction of the Department a circular to commence in the implementation of quarantine procedures with the aim of preserving the safety and public health of government employees and limiting the spread of the epidemic.

The Department was keen to develop and publish awareness brochures to the employees of Abu Dhabi Government to follow the precautionary and preventive measures in order to maintain safety and public health, in coordination with the Department of Health and the Abu Dhabi Center for Public Health and to educate government employees and customers. The Department was keen to send the necessary correspondences via e-mail and text messages to the community of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to reassure them of the efforts made by the Abu Dhabi Government to address this epidemic and maintain the level of services provided by government agencies.

The Department of Government Support has followed up the established plans to implement and raise the capacity of the digital infrastructure with the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, in order to keep pace with the growth in the use of digital systems remotely, and to enable government employees to continue to carry out work and tasks to provide government services with the same quality required.