Patients with schizophrenia can now access a treatment requiring just two doses per year at Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital, marking the first time a UAE government hospital has offered the therapy. Emirates Health Services (EHS) confirmed the rollout of BYANNLI, a long-acting medication from Johnson & Johnson administered once every six months, calling it one of the more significant recent developments in schizophrenia care.
The dosing interval sits at the center of why EHS pursued the therapy. According to Dr. Noor Almheiri, who heads the Mental Health Department at EHS, keeping patients on consistent treatment ranks among the toughest obstacles in managing long-term mental illness. She framed the new option as a tool for maintaining that consistency, lowering relapse risk, and helping patients reach steadier psychological and social footing. “The more successful we are in supporting treatment continuity and regular follow-up, the more positively this will reflect on the patient, their family, and caregivers. This makes BYANNLI a valuable addition to the mental health ecosystem that EHS seeks to develop in line with international best practices,” she said.
Al Amal’s track record with extended-release medications shaped the decision. The hospital has pushed readmissions below 1% among patients on such therapies, lifted adherence to treatment plans to 93%, and recorded meaningful symptom improvement in the same share of patients. EHS points to those figures as evidence that fewer, better-spaced doses can translate into stronger follow-up and more efficient use of clinical resources.
Dr. Essam Al Zarooni, Executive Director of the Clinical Services Sector at EHS, tied the launch to the agency’s broader aim of keeping pace with globally approved therapies and cementing the UAE’s standing in mental health provision. “This step represents a significant leap forward in the advancement of mental healthcare. It contributes to enhancing the patient experience by enabling access to more sustainable and effective care, in line with EHS’s direction towards developing integrated care models that focus on patient needs, quality of life, and long-term health outcomes,” he said.
EHS situates the initiative within national efforts including the Year of Family and the National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031, both of which treat continuity of care as a foundation for reducing relapse and strengthening family stability for people living with chronic psychiatric conditions.
