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HAAD announces vaccination drive

“Vaccines are one of the most rapid strategies to eliminate communicable diseases,” said Dr Farida Al Hosani, manager of the Communicable Diseases Department at the HAAD. “It is important for the public to know the availability of the vaccines, and to ask their doctors if they need to take those specific vaccines.”

The emirate-wide campaign themed “Protect your health with vaccination” will address both healthcare professionals and individuals, though special attention will be given to the latter. “The responsibility of health is not the responsibility of the health regulator; it is a community responsibility,” said Dr Omniyat Al Hajeri, Manager of HAAD’s Health Promotion and Surveillance.

“We expect every single person to be responsible for his health, for his family’s health and for the health of the community. The only way to achieve that is collaboration with all the players in the public and private sectors,” she explained.

For its part, the HAAD will keep healthcare workers up-to-date on vaccination practices and distribute educational materials to the public at both government and private medical facilities. The authority will also set up SMS alerts to remind parents five days in advance of their children’s immunisation dates. Future plans include a web-based child immunisation registry that can be accessed by parents, healthcare providers and the government. “Our target group for this year, as every year, is kids below five and school kids,” said Dr Al Hajeri, stressing the importance of childhood vaccination. “But also we will be introducing adult vaccinations, in addition to Haj/Umrah and travellers’ vaccinations.” Recommendations for adult immunisation often target “high-risk” individuals, including the elderly and those suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes.

aisha@khaleejtimes.com