Launching the Vaccination Campaign for Senior Citizens and People with Disabilities at Sharjah Social Services to Protect Them from Seasonal Influenza

For the fifth consecutive year, the Sharjah Social Services Department has launched a vaccination campaign for senior citizens and people with disabilities as part of the “Home Vaccination Initiative for Senior Citizens” targeting Emirati nationals in Sharjah. The campaign will continue until the end of next December.

According to Kholoud Al Ali, Director of the Senior Citizens’ Services Center at the Department, the campaign aims to vaccinate 2,000 senior citizens and people with disabilities in their homes, to protect them from the influenza virus, which becomes more active and widespread before winter. The Home Care Team carries out this mission by visiting beneficiaries in their homes, focusing on individuals registered for vaccination through the Department’s main hotline 800700. She noted that the number of beneficiaries last year reached 422 individuals.

Al Ali praised the fruitful cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, noting that the campaign has been running since 2021 to provide influenza vaccines. These vaccines are delivered in batches and distributed to pharmacies affiliated with the Senior Citizens’ Services Center, both at the main headquarters and at branch locations in the Eastern and Central Regions.

She explained that to obtain the vaccination, individuals must contact the Department to schedule an appointment and arrange a home visit by calling the hotline 800700. Procedures include booking an appointment, submitting a service request, and evaluating the individual’s health condition before administering the vaccine, which is safe, effective, and contributes to protection against the virus.

The Director of the Senior Citizens’ Services Center stated that the vaccination campaign has become more organized, particularly due to the availability of a comprehensive database of senior citizens and people with disabilities who are registered with the Department and who previously received vaccinations in past years. This allows the team to easily access their updated health profiles and medical histories.

In detail, the Home Care Team conducts home visits for senior citizens aged 60 and above, after completing the required application and documents through the Department’s website, which manages registration and appointment scheduling. Coverage includes Sharjah and its affiliated areas: Al Dhaid, Hamriyah, Al Madam, Al Bataeh, Kalba, Khorfakkan, Dibba Al Hisn, and Mleiha.

The annual seasonal campaign is part of the Department’s efforts—along with health partners under the Ministry of Health and Prevention—to implement initiatives that serve and protect senior citizens in their homes, enhance their well-being, and meet their health needs, ensuring they receive necessary healthcare within their family environment. The campaign aligns with the Department’s goals of prioritizing their health and continues its commitment to providing seasonal influenza vaccines free of charge to all senior citizens and Emirati individuals with disabilities in Sharjah.