The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) on September 15, 2026, launched its annual awareness campaign on influenza and seasonal respiratory diseases for the 2026–2027 season, unveiling the initiative at a press conference held at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City Hotel.
Running under the slogan “Protect Yourself… Protect Your Community,” the campaign is being delivered in collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, Emirates Health Services, the Dubai Health Authority, Dubai Health, and the Sharjah Health Authority.
MoHAP said the campaign aims to raise public awareness about the importance of vaccination against influenza and seasonal respiratory diseases, strengthen the knowledge of healthcare workers through training on global best practices, and expand vaccine access to targeted groups in order to increase overall vaccination coverage.
Officials framed the effort as part of a broader push to implement the National Policy for Communicable Disease Control and to support the “We the UAE 2031” Vision. A notable shift this season is the campaign’s expansion beyond influenza to cover seasonal respiratory diseases more broadly, alongside stronger disease surveillance mechanisms.
Health authorities pointed to World Health Organization figures underscoring the stakes: seasonal influenza is estimated to cause around one billion cases globally each year, including 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness, and is linked to between 290,000 and 650,000 respiratory deaths annually. Developing countries account for 99 percent of deaths among children under five with influenza-related lower respiratory tract infections.
The vaccine is recommended for everyone aged six months and older, with priority placed on higher-risk groups — healthcare workers, pregnant women, children under five, older adults, and people with chronic medical conditions. Because circulating strains change from year to year, the seasonal vaccine is reformulated annually, which is why health officials stress the need to be vaccinated each season.
Speaking at the launch, MoHAP representatives thanked partner authorities, medical staff, and the media for their role in delivering the campaign’s message, and urged the public to seek vaccination at the appropriate time and to follow recommended preventive measures.
Among the official spokespersons for the campaign were H.E. Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector at MoHAP, and Dr. Nada Hasan Al Marzouqi, Director of the Public Health and Prevention Department at MoHAP, alongside representatives from the emirates’ health authorities.
