MoHAP launches 2026–2027 awareness drive on influenza and respiratory diseases

The Ministry of Health and Prevention has opened a national campaign running to March 2027 to promote vaccination and everyday measures to curb seasonal respiratory infections.

Protect Yourself… Protect Your Community

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has launched the 2026–2027 Awareness Campaign on Influenza and Seasonal Respiratory Diseases under the theme “Protect Yourself… Protect Your Community.” The campaign, which runs until March 2027, seeks to raise public awareness, encourage recommended vaccination and promote everyday preventive practices to reduce the spread of respiratory infections and their complications.

The launch took place at a press conference in Dubai attended by representatives of health authorities from across the UAE. Hussein Abdulrahman Al Rand, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Public Health Sector at MoHAP, said the campaign broadens the focus beyond influenza to encompass a wider approach to preventing seasonal respiratory illnesses. He described the initiative as a unified framework combining immunisation, healthy behaviours, protection of vulnerable groups and access to reliable health information.

Speakers from several emirates emphasised collaboration. Abdulaziz Saeed Al Mheiri, Chairman of Sharjah Health Authority, highlighted coordinated efforts to boost vaccination and to promote practices that reduce transmission and shield those most at risk of complications.

Nada Al Marzouqi, Director of the Public Health and Prevention Department at MoHAP, underlined the importance of timely vaccination. She noted that the body requires around two weeks after influenza vaccination to develop an adequate immune response and recommended early immunisation ahead of the seasonal peak. The vaccine is advised from six months of age in accordance with approved health guidance.

Priority groups identified by the campaign include older adults, children under five, pregnant women, people with chronic conditions, immunocompromised individuals and healthcare professionals. Shamsa Majid Lootah, Director of the Public Health Department at Emirates Health Services, reiterated that vaccination remains central to reducing seasonal influenza complications and risks linked to other respiratory diseases.

Aysha AlBasti, Chair of Family Medicine at Dubai Health, said seasonal influenza and respiratory illnesses can affect anyone but warned that some community members are more vulnerable to severe outcomes. She and other officials urged a combination of vaccination and simple preventive measures to protect individuals and those around them.

Campaign activities will be implemented across media, digital platforms, healthcare facilities, partner networks and community events. MoHAP will monitor indicators such as public understanding of campaign messages, changes in preventive behaviour and vaccination uptake to evaluate impact and guide future awareness work.

Source: WAM