The UAE has revised its national immunisation programme, offering free vaccines from birth to 18 years, including new schedules and booster shots, to strengthen disease prevention and streamline access for families.
For parents in the UAE, childhood immunisation is not only routine but built into a national system that makes the core vaccines free for residents from birth to age 18. The National Immunisation Programme, run federally by the Ministry of Health and Prevention and implemented locally by health authorities including Dubai Health, has been updated over time to reflect current public health guidance and to strengthen protection against preventable diseases. According to Dubai Health, the service is available at ambulatory health centres across Dubai, including Al Jalila Children’s Hospital.
The latest schedule published by Dubai Health in September 2025 starts at birth with BCG, which protects against tuberculosis, and hepatitis B. Further doses are due at two, four and six months, then again at 12 months, 18 months, five to six years, 13 to 14 years, and 15 to 18 years. The programme covers a wide range of diseases, including diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, pneumococcal infection, rotavirus, meningitis and human papillomavirus.
At the key infant visits, the schedule includes combination vaccines such as Hib, DTaP, IPV, PCV and rotavirus at two and four months, with hepatitis B, DTP, OPV, PCV and rotavirus added at six months. At 12 months, children receive MMR and varicella, while the 18-month visit adds Hib, DTaP, OPV, IPV and another MMR dose. Older children are due for boosters and adolescent vaccines, including HPV in two doses at 13 to 14 years, and Tdap plus the meningococcal vaccine between 15 and 18 years.
Dubai Health says parents can book through its website, the smart app or by calling the 24/7 Customer Experience Team on 800 60. The authority also advises booking in advance, although some centres may accept walk-ins. Before an appointment, families should prepare the child’s passport, birth certificate, vaccination book and photograph, along with the parents’ Emirates IDs and passports, plus proof of address such as a tenancy contract or recent utility bill. A health card is also needed, and the Dubai guide says it costs Dh120 and is valid for one year.
Health guidance for families in the UAE also stresses that schools and nurseries may ask for an up-to-date immunisation record, and children arriving from abroad can usually be checked against the national schedule and given any catch-up doses without charge. The system is designed to keep vaccination coverage broad and consistent across public facilities, while giving parents a single framework to follow from infancy through the teenage years.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
