The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) has launched its annual awareness campaign on seasonal flu, in collaboration with its strategic partners.This was stated in a press conference held at InterContinental Dubai - Festival City in the presence of H.E. Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al-Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for Health Centers and Clinics Sector, Dr. Nada Al Marzouqi, Director of MOHAP’s Preventive Medicine Department, Dr. Laila Al-Jassmi, Head of the Immunization Section, Dr. Farida Al Hosani, Abu Dhabi Center for Public Health and Dr. Badria Al-Harami, Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
The campaign aims to enhance community awareness on the importance of having seasonal flu vaccine, increasing health workers’ awareness and training them on the best international practices to prevent the complications of influenza virus, providing flu vaccines and increasing vaccine coverage rates.
Awareness Lectures
Meanwhile, the campaign is targeting the health workers and increasing their competency through scientific and training workshops on the new methods to prevent the complications of the influenza virus.The campaign includes various activities such as training workshops for health workers and also distributing awareness brochures and leaflets to raise community awareness about the disease and ways of prevention. In addition, several activities will be organized at the Preventive Medicine Centres and Primary Health Care Centers in medical districts.The campaign activities and events will last until the end of January 2020.
Strengthening Epidemic Surveillance, Infection Control, and Preventive Measures
Speaking on the occasion, H.E. Dr. Hussain Abdel Rahman Al-Rand said: “This annual campaign is one of the strategic priorities of MOHAP’s aiming to develop the health system and enhance its efficiency. The seasonal flu is no doubt a challenge for health systems worldwide due to the health and economic burden this disease imposes. This requires further efforts to strengthen the epidemic surveillance and infection control in all medical facilities, in addition to providing the preventive measures that help enhance community awareness about the seasonal flu.”
He emphasized the importance of continuing these awareness campaigns to reduce disease transmission, raise the community awareness to take all the recommended preventive measures to avoid seasonal flu and provide vaccines in all health facilities.
“This would help enhance public health and increase rates of vaccine coverage through a sustainable program for raising awareness on the importance of vaccination. This comes as part of MOHAP’s strategy to provide comprehensive and integrated healthcare services in innovative and sustainable ways to protect the society from diseases,” Al-Rand pointed out.
One of the Best Effective Interventions
Dr. Nada Al Marzouqi explained that the Seasonal Flu Awareness Campaign is focusing on the importance of flu vaccine and raising awareness of health workers about getting vaccinated against this disease.
Additionally, the campaign aims to provide flu vaccine to the most vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children under the age of 5, patients with chronic diseases, pregnant women and health workers.
Al Marzouqi shed light on WHO’s recommendations on the importance of getting vaccinated against seasonal flu, especially the most vulnerable groups to reduce the complications of this disease.Vaccination is the most powerful method to control and eradicate many communicable diseases, therefore MOHAP recommends taking vaccinations against seasonal influenza on an annual basis.
Dr Farida Al Hosani, Director of the Communicable Diseases Department at, stressed that reducing the spread of seasonal influenza is one the top priorities, meant in the first place to curb the number of cases suffering flu complications.
“This season, we vaccination campaign started by vaccinating employees of DOH and the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre in collaboration with SEHA (Abu Dhabi Health Services Co.)”, Al Hosani said.
She added that vaccination is available at all outpatient clinics as well as all SEHA hospitals. Moreover, we are also organizing vaccination campaigns for government employees to ensure an easy access to vaccination and raise awareness of its importance, Al Hosani underlined.
“It is very important to promote the vaccination culture in the society and highlight how it helps to prevent infectious diseases. Additionally, vaccination is safe for pregnant women and should be especially given to them as they are among the most vulnerable to developing complications”, Al Hosani underlined.
For her part, Dr. Badria Al Haremi, Director of Public Health Protection Department at Dubai Health Authority, affirmed that providing comprehensive health coverage to prevent and control community infectious diseases is a strategic priority for DHA.
Al Haremi noted that the success of the annual awareness campaign entails a concerted effort among the different institutions in the community and raising the efficiency of health workers, in line with the latest global recommendations made to prevent the spread of the disease and reduce the incidence of the disease.
“Thus, with the start of the influenza season, DHA is working very hard to promote community awareness through activities and various campaigns, which encourage taking vaccines on an annual basis. Vaccines are definitely effective and safe to people from six months onwards. We call on everyone to go to primary healthcare centers, take vaccination and follow proper preventive habits that would reduce the spread of flu, she concluded