Abu Dhabi: An emirate-wide registry will now be used to collect information about all vaccinations provided by health care facilities in Abu Dhabi.

The registry, known as the Immunisation Information System, was launched by the emirate’s health sector regulator, the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (Haad). It will focus on collecting information in the age groups most at risk, which is from birth until two years of age. All health care facilities must use the system to submit information about vaccinations.

Dr Maha Barakat, director-general at Haad, urged all residents to take the recommended vaccines, and stressed that parents should take special care to vaccinate their children.

“With the new electronic vaccination record, we can also be more proactive, identifying and dealing with individuals who miss routine vaccination appointments,” Dr Maha said.

Since January 2015, the system has already registered more than 323,000 vaccine notifications, with 37 per cent pertaining to Emiratis.

The UAE has a national immunisation programme introduced by the Ministry of Health in the 1980s. According to Haad, the emirate of Abu Dhabi has witnessed a continuous decrease in the incidence of certain infectious diseases since then.

For example, the introduction of the varicella vaccine to the UAE’s immunisation programme in 2010 has resulted in a continuous fall in the number of people who contract chickenpox. In addition, cases of measles dropped to just five patients in the fourth quarter of 2014.

In 1993, the UAE was declared a polio-free country, and Abu Dhabi hosted a global polio eradication conference last year to tackle the disease on a global level.

Haad also conducts a yearly vaccination campaign, which stresses the various types of immunisations available, including those recommended for the elderly, people with chronic diseases and travellers and pilgrims.

In addition to infectious disease prevention, Haad also distributes vaccines against cervical cancer to schoolgirls.

“Vaccines remain the strongest means of protecting people from many diseases, and this is why we urge that people protect themselves and others,” said Dr Farida Al Hosani, acting director of public health and research at Haad.