ADPHC adds nasal spray flu vaccine for 2026-2027 season, free for eligible Abu Dhabi residents

Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) has introduced a nasal spray flu vaccine for suitable groups in the 2026-2027 seasonal flu campaign, giving Abu Dhabi residents a needle-free option alongside standard injections and a high-dose vaccine for people aged 65 and above.

For UAE operators, the immediate lesson starts in Dubai. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has an official AED 50 charge for the seasonal influenza vaccine provided by DHA, issued on 8 October 2020. Abu Dhabi is taking a different access route for this campaign: ADPHC says flu vaccination is free for eligible people aged six months and above across the emirate, according to Gulf News.

What changes for clinics and payers

For clinics licensed by the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH Abu Dhabi), the new product is an operational change before it is a commercial one. Front desks, nurses and physicians need a clear script for who can receive the nasal spray and who should be routed to an injectable vaccine. ADPHC said people interested in the nasal spray should speak to a healthcare provider to confirm suitability.

“Our aim is to make prevention simple and accessible.”
Dr Faisal Al Ahbabi, Executive Director of the Communicable Diseases Sector, ADPHC

ADPHC said on 18 September 2026 that vaccinations would be available through healthcare facilities, schools, workplaces, shopping malls, Majalis and other community locations across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. The centre also reported that more than 350,000 people received a flu vaccine during the 2025-2026 season, through more than 130 healthcare facilities and 11 pharmacies.

• Clinic operations: update consent forms, contraindication checks and patient routing for nasal spray versus injectable vaccines.
• Medical directors: confirm live vaccine suitability rules with the product label and DOH Abu Dhabi guidance before standing orders go live.
• Payers: Daman and Thiqa administrators should confirm whether nasal spray claims use existing influenza codes or a separate benefit rule.
• Patients: Abu Dhabi residents should ask the provider whether the nasal spray is suitable before booking.

Why Dubai and the northern emirates should watch

Dubai clinics should treat Abu Dhabi’s move as a demand signal. Parents, school nurses and needle-averse adults will ask whether the same option is available in Dubai. DHA-regulated providers should publish a nasal spray price only after confirming supply, eligibility rules and payer handling. The known public benchmark is DHA’s AED 50 seasonal influenza charge; private clinic prices can differ by provider, consultation policy and insurance contract.

In the northern emirates, providers licensed by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) should check MOHAP and Emirates Health Services channels before advertising nasal spray availability. Gulf News reported in November 2025 that MOHAP had introduced a nasal spray influenza vaccine at selected public and private health centres and hospitals for that season, but availability in Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah still depends on local stock and authorised sites.

For insurers, the cash-price question is secondary to pathway design. A preventive vaccine may be free in one emirate, charged at a government tariff in another and billed through a private network elsewhere. Finance teams should ask three questions before flu season peaks: which product is covered, which facilities are authorised, and whether a consultation fee is bundled or billed separately.

What patients will ask next

The patient-facing message is narrow. The nasal spray gives eligible people an alternative to an injection, but it is not suitable for everyone. Children, older adults, pregnant women, people with chronic disease and healthcare workers remain priority groups for flu prevention, according to ADPHC’s 2026-2027 seasonal flu announcement.

Emergency-care operators should expect avoidable winter demand if vaccination access is unclear. The practical close is simple: publish vaccine type, age eligibility, price or free status, insurance handling and booking route on one page. Patients looking for licensed urgent or emergency care can search the UAE Open Healthcare Directory, which lists more than 12,394 licensed providers across all seven emirates and includes an emergency-care filter.