UAE Ministry of Community Development to reduce spread of Covid19 using blockchain
Hessa Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development (MOCD) , announced the introduction of new smooth procedures across all its customer happiness centres for the benefit of the general public across the UAE. “This step confirms the ministry’s commitment to ensure the continuity and flexibility of all government services in light of the directives of the smart government to reduce the spread of COVID-19,” the minister said in a statement.
MOCD “Reduce COVID-19 spread and stay at home”
She noted that these services allow customers to stay at home and reach out with their requirements and demands through different ways such as phone communications and various applications, the blockchain system and instant chat systems.
Buhumaid pointed out that as part of the ministry’s efforts to ensure the continuity and flexibility of government services at this stage, the services focus on enhancing the use of digital identity for customers by activating requests remotely and reducing the receipt of required documents, while fully adhering to flexibility in updating regular data and renewal services for various categories. These include senior citizens, People of Determination, productive families, non-profit public associations and young people who are about to get married.
Nasser Ismail, Assistant Under-Secretary for Social Welfare at the Ministry of Community Development, said that in the current situation, they have stopped receiving paper documents across all customer happiness centres, and have approved digital documents instead. He pointed out that this step comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to regulate the flow of customers, especially senior Emiratis, People of Determination and other categories.
The ministry has for more than a year initiated the authentication of “to whom it may concern” certificates and other documents electronically through blockchain technology. It now authenticates some 2,919 documents through blockchain; and it will all be unified in one form as a service that is automatically provided and sent via e-mail and the instant chat system, “Chat Bot”, which till today received some 1,23,344 messages.
Ismail pointed out that the services at all the ministry’s centres are now provided through the website and smart application, with additional technical support to accomplish the requirements of customers via email and telephone.
In the past year the Ministry has implemented various solutions using Blockchain technology.
He added that the Ministry of Community Development is keen to ensure safety if any customers visit the centre by following the guidelines and instructions issued by the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority, and the Ministry of Health and Prevention, and ensure the continuity of work at all UAE government departments.
