The Emirates ID is steadily consolidating its function as a one-stop source of multi-purpose transactions, something that has always been envisaged as its core purpose, said a UAE daily.

In an editorial on Wednesday, the Gulf News said, "As a primary means of personal identification and identity verification for all residents in the country, the Emirates ID now crosses one more milestone as it begins to replace the health insurance card for six insurance companies, to begin with. On Monday, the Dubai Health Authority announced the new move, projecting that eventually, all insurance companies will be aligned with this purpose.

The paper continued, "This is in keeping with the vision of the government that the Emirates ID will work as a facilitator of services and functions across the spectrum, thus leading to time-efficient processes. It is already in use for verification during transactions such as paying utility bills, fines, registering of vehicles, dealing with phone connections and internet use, as well as being used for immigration clearance at the airport. Some banks are also accepting the Emirates ID as a debit card and eventually, it is also primed to be used instead of a driving licence.

"With the latest symbiosis between the Emirates ID and health insurance, the authorities are ensuring that the organic progression of a smart government is on track. This integration of services has a double advantage, it enables the government to collate data on every resident across a range of fields making the national database invaluable in its function and it vastly enhances customer satisfaction as by using just one card, as opposed to carrying many pieces of plastic, they can conduct a range of transactions more speedily.