MoHAP: Positive community response to the National Health and Nutrition Survey

Dubai: The National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024-2025 campaign has received a positive response from the community and the targeted groups in particular.

This shows how effective MoHAP’s awareness campaigns have been, in partnership with key stakeholders, in emphasising the importance of survey results for public health and quality of life in the country. By using accurate data and solid scientific evidence to shape health policies and programs, these efforts will boost overall health and well-being.

Measuring health indicators

The National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024—2025 aims to update the population’s health database and assess health performance indicators. It involves gathering field data through an approved methodology to reflect the current health landscape in the UAE.

The data gained will support decision-makers in developing policies and strategies, measuring health and nutrition indicators, and guiding state-level health planning in line with the “We the UAE 2031” vision.

The Ministry is conducting the survey in collaboration with strategic partners, including the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics, health authorities, and local statistical centres across the UAE. The survey also aims to collect accurate and reliable data on the health and nutrition status in the UAE.

Social media interaction

Many community members have spoken highly of how important the National Health and Nutrition Survey is for checking individual health and improving public health, encouraging everyone to support the field survey teams and share their personal experiences.

Sustainable development goals

Dr Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector, emphasised that positive engagement in the survey is key to collecting important data. This data helps create effective strategies to enhance public health and improve the quality of life for everyone.

Dr Al Rand noted that the cooperation and enthusiasm shown by participants showcase the UAE’s social responsibility values. It also highlights the importance of the partnership between the government and the public in achieving sustainable development goals in healthcare.

For her part, Dr Alia Zaid Harbi, Director of the Statistics and Research Center at the Ministry, urged all members of society to positively engage with the national health campaign, adding that sustained collaboration strengthens the capacity of health authorities to address challenges and promote public health standards.

Confidential Data

Dr Harbi stressed that the survey covers a wide range of health and nutrition indicators. This includes socio-economic factors, household spending on health, rates of non-communicable diseases and risk factors, biophysical measurements, access to healthcare, micronutrient deficiencies, dietary intake, child growth indicators, and the health of pregnant women.

She reaffirmed that the ministry and its partners are committed to keeping the collected data confidential, using it solely for statistical and research purposes. The Ministry of Health and Prevention has developed precise data collection methods in line with international standards. The survey is conducted through personal interviews during field visits, using electronic questionnaires approved by the World Health Organisation and local health authorities. These questionnaires are available in Arabic, English, Hindi, and Urdu to ensure comprehensive data collection from all community segments.

The survey size

The National Health and Nutrition Survey 2024-2025 aims to reach a large sample size of 10,000 households for both the health and nutrition surveys, with 40% citizens and 60% residents. Additionally, it will include 2,000 individuals from workers’ accommodations. The target age groups are elderly individuals, adults over 18 years old, females aged 15 to 49, pregnant women, and children from birth to 17 years old.