UAE Clinics Offer Students Free Health Screenings and Vaccinations

UAE Ramps Up School Health Services as New Academic Year Begins

The UAE's Emirates Health Services has announced the full deployment of nursing teams across 333 school clinics as the 2025-2026 academic year commences, marking a significant expansion of the country's integrated healthcare approach to education. With a 96.9% satisfaction rate from school administrators and rising Emirati workforce participation in school nursing, the initiative reflects the UAE's broader strategy to merge healthcare excellence with educational outcomes.

Comprehensive Health Infrastructure Supporting Educational Goals

Dr. Essam Al Zarouni, Acting Executive Director of Medical Services at Emirates Health Services, emphasized that the readiness of school clinics represents the organization's commitment to supporting educational progress through an integrated health system. The initiative covers 312 government schools and extends to seven new educational complexes within the Zayed Educational Complex network across different regions of the country.

This comprehensive approach goes beyond basic medical care, encompassing annual health screenings that include height, weight, BMI measurements, vision tests, first aid services, emergency response capabilities, national immunization program vaccinations, dental health services, and monitoring of infectious diseases and student mental health.

Training and Quality Assurance

Dr. Sumaya Al Balushi, Director of Nursing Administration at Emirates Health Services, highlighted the intensive training programs implemented for nursing teams. These programs focus on first aid, emergency management, and student mental health—areas that have become increasingly critical in post-pandemic educational environments.

The 96.9% satisfaction rate achieved in the annual survey of government school principals demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach and suggests strong institutional support for continued investment in school-based healthcare services.

Strategic Workforce Development

A notable development is the increase in Emiratization within the school nursing workforce, which reached 12.5% of total nursing staff in school health clinics in 2025. This represents part of the UAE's broader nationalization strategy across critical sectors, ensuring local expertise in healthcare delivery while reducing dependence on expatriate professionals.

This workforce localization trend mirrors similar initiatives across the Gulf region, where countries are investing heavily in developing domestic healthcare capabilities. The UAE's approach of integrating this development within the educational sector creates a dual benefit of improving student health outcomes while building local healthcare capacity.

Regional Leadership in Educational Healthcare Integration

The UAE's comprehensive school health program positions the country as a regional leader in integrating healthcare services within educational institutions. This model contrasts with more fragmented approaches seen in other markets, where school health services often operate independently from national healthcare systems.

The scale of the program—covering over 300 schools and clinics—demonstrates significant public investment in preventive healthcare, particularly targeting the youth population. This approach aligns with the UAE's Vision 2071 goals of creating a world-class education system while maintaining high healthcare standards.

Long-term Implications for Public Health Strategy

The expansion of school-based healthcare services represents a shift toward preventive medicine and early intervention strategies. By embedding comprehensive health services within educational institutions, the UAE is creating a generation with better health awareness and access to regular medical monitoring.

This integrated approach may serve as a model for other developing economies seeking to optimize healthcare delivery while supporting educational outcomes. The high satisfaction rates and continued expansion suggest this strategy is delivering measurable results and could influence regional healthcare policy development.

The emphasis on mental health services within school clinics also reflects growing recognition of psychological wellness as a critical component of educational success, positioning the UAE ahead of many international peers in addressing comprehensive student wellbeing.