As the new year approaches in about a month, it’s a good time to check in with your child’s vaccine records to ensure if something needs to be ticked off the list.
With Al Hosn app’s latest feature storing mandatory vaccine records from the time of birth until the age of 18, long gone are the days when parents frantically searched for health record books before a doctor’s appointment.
Despite the streamlined route making immunization a much easy journey now, its important to know what jabs the little ones must get and what is the appropriate age to get them.
From vaccines given right after birth to shots your not so little one might get through their school, here’s a timeline to the mandatory vaccines in the UAE for children.
After birth
Right after birth, newborns in the UAE undergo health check-ups that are done in accordance with international standards. These examine babies for 40 genetic diseases. Apart from the screening, infants are given two mandatory vaccines. These are:
- BCG: Bacillus, Calmette-Guerin (against tuberculosis)
- Hep B: Hepatitis B (creates long-term immunity, protecting children against Hepatitis B infection even through their adult years)
At 2 months
- Hep B: Hepatitis B
- Hib: Haemophilus Influenzae Type B
- DTaP: Diphtheria, Tetanus, and acellular Pertussis
- IPV: Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine
- PCV: Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
At 4 months
- Hep B: Hepatitis B
- Hib: Haemophilus Influenzae Type B
- DTaP: Diphtheria, Tetanus, and acellular Pertussis
- IPV: Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine
- PCV: Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
At 6 months
- Hep B: Hepatitis B
- Hib: Haemophilus Influenzae Type B
- DPT: Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus
- OPV: Oral Poliovirus Vaccine
- PCV: Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
At 12 months
- MMR: Measles, Mumps and Rubella
- Varicella: Chickenpox
At 18 months
- Hib: Haemophilus Influenzae Type B
- DTaP: Diphtheria, Tetanus, and acellular Pertussis
- OPV: Oral Poliovirus Vaccine
- PCV: Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
Grade 1
- DTaP: Diphtheria, Tetanus, and acellular Pertussis
- OPV: Oral Poliovirus Vaccine
- MMR: Measles, Mumps and Rubella
- Varicella: Chickenpox
Grade 9
Grade 11
- Tdap: Tetanus, reduced Diphtheria and reduced Pertussis
- OPV: Oral Poliovirus Vaccine
- HPV (for girls)
Costs
The UAE carries out free immunization services for children — these include expats too! The process to attain jabs free of cost is different in each emirate.
Dubai
Dubai Health Authority’s public centres give free vaccinations in the emirate. Residents can visit their nearby centre to get their child vaccinated.
The centres charge a fee of Dh120 to get a health card for kids till the age of 9 (valid for a year), with the same cost in the case of renewal. In case the card gets lost or stolen, a fee of Dh70 is charged.
For kids between 10-17 years old, a fee of Dh220 is charged to make a new health card.
Abu Dhabi
The Health Authority – Abu Dhabi (HAAD) has centres all across the emirate that provide free vaccination for children. If residents have health insurance, then there is no charge for vaccines.
Other emirates
There is no charge for opening a file, as well as vaccination in Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain as they come under the Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap).