[01] Taryam M. M. O., Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [02] Al Hammadi H. M., Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [03] Al Faisal W., Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [04] Hussein H. Y., Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [05] AlSerkal F. Y., Health Centres Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [06] Monsef N. A., Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [07] Buharoun A., Health Centres Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [08] AlBehandy N. S., Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE.

Background: The World Health Organization estimates that 2.5 million children younger than 5 years die from vaccine-preventable diseases each year. Immunization is the most effective tool for combating and eliminating infectious diseases. Objectives: The study aims to identify the coverage rates of students, and refusal and non-response of parents during the measles mass vaccination campaign 2015-2016. It aims also to understand the current situation and the factors and attitudes influencing voluntary vaccination of 5-18 years old students at private schools of Dubai. Methodology: The Primary Healthcare Service Sector at Dubai Health Authority developed guidelines for Measles Vaccination Campaign in Dubai. A total of 266343 students at private schools in Dubai were identified as target population for the phase one. Schools’ health staff of 175 schools in Dubai were trained on the campaign activities. All parents of students were approached with health educational materials and consent form. Meetings with parents were held in order to understand the non-response circumstances. Campaign vaccination activities and reports were reviewed. Results: The study revealed that about 61.8% of the total students population were vaccinated at schools, 3.36% were vaccinated at other primary health care facilities, 11.3% refused vaccination due to previously recievnig two doses of the vaccine, 3.45% refused due to other causes, 0.42% showed contraindications and about 19.58% did not respond to consent form. The study showed that about 12.7% of the vaccinated were below 5 years old and 87.3% were above 5 years old. The study reflected that about 78.6% of the total below 5 years students’ population and about 76.2 of the total above 5 years student’s population were covered. Current study showed that about 49.9% of those who were vaccinated inside schools were males and 50.1% were females. As per nationality, the study showed that about 11.5% of total vaccinated at schools were UAE nationals and 88.5% were expatriates. Conclusion: The campaign achieved good percentage of coverage. Comprehensive mobilization, and support from government departments were critical to the success of the campaign. However, those parents who did not respond were a lot, which raise issue of communication in need to be further investigated. There is a need to improve communication with parents through different available approaches in order to better understanding of the phenomena of not responding.

Mass Vaccination, Measles, Dubai Private Schools, Coverage

[01] World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific. Field guidelines for measles elimination. Geneva: WHO; 2004, p. 46-9. [02] World Health Organization Media Centre. Measles. Factsheet 286. Geneva: WHO; 2010, Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs286/en/index.html (accessed 16 March 2016). [03] World Health Organization. Health topics: immunization. http://www.who.int/topics/immunization/en/. Accessed April 10, 2013 [04] World Health Organization. Progress towards the 2012 measles elimination goal in WHO's Western Pacific Region, 1990-2008. Wkly Epidemiol Rec, 84 (2009), pp. 271–279. [05] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Recommended immunization schedule for persons aged 0 through 18 years: United States, 2012. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2012; 61(5): 1-4. [06] European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Vaccination schedules. http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/activities/surveillance/euvac/schedules/Pages/schedules.aspx. Accessed April 10, 2013. [07] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). General recommendations on immunization: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2011; 60(2): 1-64. [08] Public Health England. Published 25th April 2013. Available on: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-mmr-vaccination-catch-up-programmeannounced-in-response-to-increase-in-measles-cases (accessed: 25 September 2013) [09] Chief Medical Officer. MMR catch-up programme CEM/CMO/2008/12. London: Department of Health, 2008. Available on http://www.hpa.org.uk/hpr/archives/2008/news3208.htm#mmr (accessed: 13 November 2013) [10] MMR ready reckoner background document. Published 23rd April 2013; Updated 25th April 2013. Available on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/calculating-mmr-coverageready-reckoner-tool-2013 (accessed: 25 September 2013) [11] Series: MMR catch-up programme 2013. Public Health England. Published 11 June 2013 Available on https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england/series/mmrcatch-up-programme-2013 (accessed: 26 September 2013) [12] Fitzpatrick M. MMR: risk, choice, chance. Br Med Bull (2004) 69 (1): 143-153. doi: 10.1093/bmb/ldh002. [13] Fitzpatrick M. MMR and Autism: What Parents Need to Know. London: Routledge, 2004. [14] Taylor B, Miller E, Farrington CP, Petropoulos M-C, Favot-Mayaud I, Li J, Waight PA. Autism and MMR vaccine: no epidemiological evidence for a causal association. Lancet 1999; 353: 2026–9. [15] Farrington CP, Miller E, Taylor B. MMR and autism: further evidence against a causal association. Vaccine 2001; 19: 3632–5. [16] Taylor B, Miller E, Lingam R, Andrews N, Simmons A, Stowe J. MMR vaccination and bowel problems or developmental regression in children with autism: population study. BMJ 2002; 324: 393–6. [17] Dales L, Hammer S, Smith N. Time trends in autism and in MMR immunization coverage in California. JAMA 2001; 285: 1183–5. [18] Kaye JA, del Mar Melero-Montes M, Jick H. MMR vaccine and the incidence of autism recorded by GPs: a time-trend analysis. BMJ 2001; 322: 460–3. [19] Peltola H, Patja A, Leinikki P, Valle M, Davidkin I, Paunio M. No evidence for MMR vaccine-associated inflammatory bowel disease or autism in a 14-year prospective study. Lancet 1998; 351: 1327–8. [20] Patja A, Davidkin I, Kurki T, Kallio MJT, Valle MHP. Serious adverse events after MMR vaccination during a 14-year prospective follow-up. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2000; 19: 1127–34. [21] Madsen KM, Hvidd A, Vestergaard M, Schendel D, Wohlfart J, Thorsen P, Olsen J, Melbye M. A population-based study of MMR vaccine and autism. N Engl J Med 2002; 347: 1477–82.