UAE Ministry of Health & Prevention launches ‘World Immunization Week'

UAE, April 25, 2016- The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, in collaboration with Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and Dubai Health Authority (DHA), has launched the ‘World Immunization Week’ from April 24 to 30, 2016, in coordination with the World Health Organization under the theme ‘dam immunization gap: immunization for all in lifetime.’

H.E. Dr. Hussein Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for Health Centers and Clinics, UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, inaugurated the event at the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel in Dubai. Speaking on the occasion, H.E. stated that the Ministry aims to raise awareness among community members about vaccination and immunization of children against infectious diseases. He said that through various educational campaigns and events organized in all medical districts, the event will encourage parents to visit primary healthcare centers in order to preserve their health and protect them from getting infectious diseases.

The Assistant Undersecretary the Assistant Undersecretary said that ‘World Immunization Week’ is in line with the Ministry’s strategic objective to develop a healthcare system that protects the UAE society from communicable diseases and control them according to the support initiative and update of vaccinations programs according to international standards. The Ministry has achieved great success in the field by providing the community members with free access to basic vaccines that has a high coverage rate of up to more than 95 per cent, driven by the combined efforts at all levels of the ministry and the support of the wise leadership.

Dr. Nada Al Marzouqi, Director of Preventative Medicine, UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, confirmed that the ‘World Immunization Week’ aims to undertake intensive educational activities and lectures to eliminate the possibility of children catching serious diseases such as mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) by giving them all major vaccines. She said that not providing with age appropriate vaccinations keeps the society at risk of infection and diseases. She also pointed out that since the beginning of the National Measles campaign in November 2015, targeting children from one year of age to 18 years has achieved remarkable success.

Dr. Laila Al Jasmi, Head of Vaccination Department, UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, has advised parents on the importance of taking their children to primary healthcare centers to give them the basic vaccines as per their age to raise their immunity against infectious diseases. She noted that the Ministry aims to provide all the vital vaccines free under the National Program on Immunization that is running for years and has considerable success in the eradication of infectious diseases such as polio.

The event was concluded by honoring the strategic and supporting sectors, and the category of technical committees and the central operations room and central supervisors, and members of the Committee of Global Immunization Week.