Vaccination Schedule for Children in the UAE (DHA/MOHAP)

The UAE follows a single national immunization schedule for children from birth through the school years, the same program is delivered in Dubai by Dubai Health (DHA) and federally by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP). Under this program, routine childhood vaccines are provided free of charge at government health centers, and an up-to-date vaccination card is required to enroll your child in nursery and school. This guide sets out the full schedule by age, explains what is mandatory versus optional, shows where expat families get vaccines, and covers catch-up for children arriving from abroad.

If you are a new or expecting parent, the vaccination schedule sits alongside the wider set of tasks covered in our guide to having a baby in Dubai, from delivery costs to adding your newborn to insurance. Vaccinations begin in the hospital on the day of birth, so it helps to know the schedule before you deliver.

The UAE National Immunization Schedule at a Glance

The UAE national schedule protects children against tuberculosis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), Haemophilus influenzae type b, polio, pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, and meningococcal disease, with HPV and boosters added in the school years. The table below reflects the routine schedule for children aged 0 through 6 years as set out in the current DHA Guidelines for Best Practice in Immunization (Issue 4, 2026).

Ages and doses are set by the health authority and are reviewed periodically. Confirm the current schedule with Dubai Health or MOHAP before each visit, and always let the vaccine team advise on timing for your individual child.

Are Childhood Vaccines Free in the UAE?

Yes. Vaccines listed on the UAE national immunization program are free at government health centers for all children living in the country, regardless of nationality. The National Policy on Vaccinations treats immunization as a public health priority, so the cost of the vaccine itself is covered by the state.

What is free is the vaccine and its administration at a public primary health center. If you choose a private clinic or hospital instead, you pay a consultation and injection fee, which health insurance may or may not reimburse. Some optional vaccines that sit outside the national schedule, such as hepatitis A, are offered by private providers for an additional charge. Our comparison of public versus private healthcare in the UAE explains how the two systems differ in cost and access.

Vaccines Given From Birth to 18 Months

The first eighteen months carry the heaviest vaccination load, with visits at birth, 2, 4, 6, 12, and 18 months. Missing or delaying these early doses is the most common reason a child later needs a catch-up plan, so it is worth keeping the appointments even when travel or a house move gets in the way.

At birth, the BCG and first hepatitis B dose are usually given in the maternity hospital before discharge. This is also when many families complete the newborn birth certificate and registration process. From 2 months, the combined hexavalent injection means one needle covers six diseases, which reduces the number of separate shots at each visit. The MOHAP program was updated so the pneumococcal (PCV) vaccine is given as three doses rather than four, at 2 months, 4 months, and 18 months.

School-Age and Adolescent Vaccines

Vaccination does not stop at age 6. The UAE runs a school health immunization program that delivers boosters and adolescent vaccines during the school years, including the HPV vaccine and a tetanus booster. These are administered through school health teams or at government health centers, and they are recorded on the same vaccination card.

The 2026 schedule offers the HPV vaccine to both girls and boys, a change from earlier years when it was given only to girls. Because grade and age placement for adolescent doses can be adjusted, confirm the exact timing for your child with the school clinic or Dubai Health.

Mandatory or Optional: What Schools Require

Childhood vaccination in the UAE is mandatory, and the government requires vaccines from birth through Grade 11. In practice, enforcement runs through schools: an up-to-date vaccination record is part of school admission, and a child with an incomplete record is asked to catch up before or shortly after enrolling.

Dubai schools regulated by KHDA verify the vaccination card through a DHA-approved clinic rather than assessing it themselves. You will upload the card during admission, and the same requirement applies at nursery level. Our guides to enrolling children in Dubai schools and to Dubai nursery regulations and licensing both flag the vaccination record as a standard document. There is no routine non-medical opt-out from the mandatory schedule; genuine medical exemptions are a clinical decision made by a doctor and the health authority.

Where to Vaccinate Your Child in Dubai: Public or Private

Parents in Dubai have two practical routes for routine childhood vaccines: a government primary health center or a licensed private clinic. Both use the same national schedule and record doses on the same card, but they differ on cost, waiting times, and continuity of care.

Choosing between them comes down to a few trade-offs. Government centers deliver the national vaccines free, which makes them the default for most families, but appointment slots can fill up and you may see a different nurse each visit. Private pediatric clinics charge a consultation and injection fee, often claimable on mandatory health insurance depending on your plan, and they tend to offer faster booking and the same doctor each time. If your newborn is already on a private plan, check the 30-day rule for adding a newborn to insurance so vaccine visits are covered from the start.

What actually happens at a government center: you book through the Dubai Health website, the Smart App, or the 800 60 helpline, attend with the child’s Emirates ID or birth details and the vaccination card, and the nurse administers the due doses and stamps or updates the card. Many families also receive SMS reminders ahead of the next appointment, and vaccination records are increasingly linked to the AlHosn app so schools can verify them digitally.

Catch-Up Vaccinations for Children Arriving From Abroad

Children who move to the UAE with an incomplete or foreign vaccination history do not start over. A health center reviews the records you bring, maps them onto the UAE schedule, and gives only the missing doses on a catch-up plan with the correct minimum intervals between them.

Bring every vaccination document you have, ideally in English or Arabic, or with a certified translation. If records are lost or unavailable, the clinic may treat the child as unvaccinated and start a full catch-up series, which is safe but means more visits. The DHA immunization guideline includes dedicated catch-up schedules for children whose vaccinations have been delayed, so ask the clinic to work to those intervals. A verified, up-to-date card is what schools ultimately need, so completing the catch-up early smooths the enrollment process.

Consent, Side Effects, and What to Expect

Vaccines are given after a parent or guardian provides consent, and the vaccine team screens for any reason a specific dose should be delayed, such as a current fever or a known severe allergy. Most children have only mild, short-lived reactions such as soreness at the injection site, a low fever, or fussiness for a day or two.

This article is general information and not medical advice. Any decision about a medicine to ease a fever after vaccination should follow your pediatrician’s guidance and the UAE rules on pharmacy medication, not a fixed rule. If your child has a serious reaction, a high or persistent fever, or a chronic health condition, contact your pediatrician or the health authority rather than relying on a schedule alone.

FAQ

Are childhood vaccines free in the UAE?

Yes. Vaccines on the national immunization program are free at government health centers for all children in the country, regardless of nationality. If you use a private clinic instead, you pay a consultation and injection fee, which insurance may cover depending on your plan.

Are vaccinations mandatory in the UAE?

Yes. The UAE mandates childhood vaccination from birth through Grade 11. Enforcement works mainly through schools and nurseries, which require an up-to-date vaccination record for admission. There is no routine non-medical opt-out; medical exemptions are decided by a doctor and the health authority.

What vaccines does a newborn get in the UAE?

At birth, usually within 24 hours and before leaving the maternity hospital, a newborn receives the BCG vaccine and the first dose of hepatitis B. Newborns born during the RSV season may also receive a long-acting RSV antibody if the mother did not have the RSV vaccine in pregnancy.

Do schools in Dubai require vaccination records?

Yes. An up-to-date vaccination card is a standard part of school and nursery admission. KHDA-regulated schools in Dubai verify the record through a DHA-approved clinic, and you upload the card during the admission process. A child with missing doses is asked to catch up.

Where do I vaccinate my child in Dubai?

You can use a government primary health center, where national vaccines are free, or a licensed private pediatric clinic that charges a fee. Both follow the same schedule and update the same card. Government appointments are booked via the Dubai Health website, the Smart App, or the 800 60 helpline.

My child was vaccinated abroad. What do I do now?

Take all foreign vaccination records to a health center. Staff map them onto the UAE schedule and give only the missing doses on a catch-up plan with correct intervals. Bring documents in English or Arabic, or certified translations, so nothing is repeated unnecessarily.

Is the HPV vaccine given in the UAE?

Yes. The HPV vaccine is part of the school health program. In the current schedule it is offered to both girls and boys, with the first dose in the early teens and a second dose 6 to 12 months later. Confirm the exact timing with your school clinic or Dubai Health.

Can I opt out of childhood vaccines?

There is no routine non-medical opt-out from the mandatory national schedule, and schools require the record for admission. A genuine medical exemption is a clinical decision made by a doctor together with the health authority, based on the individual child’s health.

Is the flu shot included for children?

Yes. The seasonal influenza vaccine starts at 6 months and is then recommended every year at the beginning of the flu season, around September to October. It is offered through the national program alongside the routine childhood vaccines.

How many injections will my child have at each visit?

It varies by age. Combined vaccines such as the hexavalent and pentavalent injections cover several diseases in one needle, which keeps the number of separate shots down. At the busiest visits, a child may receive two or three injections plus an oral vaccine on the same day.

Official Sources

• Dubai Health Authority (DHA): Guidelines for Best Practice in Immunization (Issue 4, 2026), including the national schedule and catch-up appendices
• Dubai Health: Children’s Vaccinations (free vaccines, locations, and booking)
• Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP): Updates to the National Immunization Program
• Emirates Health Services (EHS): Child Health and Vaccinations
• The Official Portal of the UAE Government: Children’s Health
• The Official Portal of the UAE Government: National Policy on Vaccinations
• The Official Portal of the UAE Government: Health and Safety in Schools

This article is general information for parents in the UAE and is not medical advice. The national immunization schedule, ages, doses, and vaccines can change, and requirements can vary between emirates and between public and private providers. Always confirm the current schedule with Dubai Health, MOHAP, or your pediatrician, and follow their guidance for your individual child.