MoHAP organises scientific seminar on World Polio Day

Dr. Hussain Al Rand, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Public Health Sector, emphasised that the UAE has been polio-free for over three decades, a milestone made possible thanks to the implementation of an effective surveillance system and the sustained high vaccination coverage by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) and its partners.

He made these remarks during a scientific symposium on World Polio Day, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and several health authorities across the UAE.

The event aimed to promote awareness and exchange expertise on best practices in epidemiological surveillance.

The event commended the pivotal role played by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in supporting global health initiatives and combating infectious diseases, particularly through his backing of the “Reaching the Last Mile” initiative aimed at eradicating polio.

His generous support reaffirms the UAE’s commitment to advancing global health, promoting the well-being of future generations, and expanding the nation’s humanitarian impact worldwide.

Al Rand noted that this success was also made possible by the unlimited support of the UAE’s leadership, whose commitment to strengthening preventive and public health systems has unified national efforts toward achieving the goals of the “We the UAE 2031” Vision, which places the health and well-being of the population at the heart of the nation’s development priorities.

Al Rand noted that the UAE’s strategy to combat polio is driven by a preventive and proactive approach that focuses on ensuring comprehensive immunisation for children under the National Immunisation Programme and developing an accurate epidemiological surveillance system to detect and swiftly respond to any suspected cases.

He added that the UAE works in close collaboration with the WHO to advance global initiatives.

The seminar addressed the current global situation of poliomyelitis, the national programme for its eradication, the clinical detection of acute flaccid paralysis cases, and ways to strengthen the health surveillance system.

The symposium is part of a series of awareness and scientific initiatives organised by MoHAP to enhance prevention against infectious diseases and ensure the sustainability of national efforts to keep the UAE polio-free. It is also aligned with the Ministry’s policies aiming to enhance public health and promote the efficiency of the preventive system.

Meanwhile, the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity announced on Friday that it will host a major pledging opportunity in support of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), a coalition of countries and partners dedicated to ending polio worldwide.

The pledging moment will take place on 8th December 2025 in Abu Dhabi, bringing together countries, donors, philanthropists, and global health partners to secure crucial new investments for polio eradication.

It will mark the third such pledging moment hosted in Abu Dhabi, following summits in 2013 and 2019 that raised a collective $6.6 billion in support of the GPEI’s global efforts to end polio.

Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, announced the news on World Polio Day at an event co-hosted by UNICEF and the GPEI in New York.

The event, “From Vaccine to Victory: 70 Years of Polio Progress, One Achievable Goal,” united programme leadership, donor representatives, academics, and advocates, and took place steps away from the ruins of New York’s old smallpox hospital, a powerful testament to what it means to eradicate a disease.

Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab said, “Under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE is committed to ensuring people everywhere have the opportunity to lead healthy, productive lives. The forthcoming pledging moment reflects our belief in the power of collective action to eradicate polio once and for all and to contribute to a healthier, more resilient world.”

Dr. Shamma Khalifa Al Mazrouei, Acting Director General of the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, said, “Decades of global partnership have brought us closer than ever before to ending polio. With sustained funding, collaboration, and political leadership, we can achieve a polio-free future and protect children everywhere from this preventable disease.”

WAM