Health

Seasonal Respiratory Tract Infections Prevention & Risk stratification

Winter poses a recurrent challenge for healthcare systems worldwide because of seasonal surges in respiratory tract infections (RTIs). These infections disproportionately affect “vulnerable” subpopulations — namely the elderly, infants and children, pregnant women, immunocompromised persons, and those with chronic comorbidities.

In intensive care practice — including in a cosmopolitan city such as Dubai with a diverse population — the burden of severe RTIs becomes evident each winter. Pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, exacerbation of chronic diseases, and multi-organ complications frequently present in high-risk patients admitted to ICUs. Preventive strategies, both at individual and public health level, are therefore of paramount importance.

This article synthesizes recent updates in medical literature (2024–2025) on prevention of RTIs, explores practical challenges from ICU experience, and advocates for strengthened measures to protect high-risk groups, especially during winter.

Why high-risk groups deserve special attention

A 2025 cross-disciplinary position paper from the United Arab Emirates specifically highlights that respiratory infections remain a major cause of mortality among young children and adults — particularly the elderly or those with underlying conditions — despite available vaccines and antiviral treatments.

According to guidelines from global health authorities, high-risk subpopulations are defined to include: children (especially infants), older adults, pregnant or postpartum women, immunocompromised individuals, and those with chronic diseases (e.g., cardiopulmonary, metabolic, renal).

For pregnant women, the stakes are even higher: a recent systematic review of human cases of avian influenza (A[H5]) during pregnancy reported maternal mortality as high as 90 %, and perinatal mortality (stillbirth/neonatal death) ~86.7 % among reported cases — underlining the extreme vulnerability of this population in the face of novel or zoonotic influenza viruses.

Moreover, infants and young children (<5 years) remain highly susceptible to viral lower RTIs: for example, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) induces a considerable global burden, with millions of hospitalizations and a high death toll in low- and middle-income countries.

Therefore, preventive measures must be prioritized — especially among these high-risk groups — to reduce both direct morbidity/mortality and downstream burdens on intensive care resources

High-Risk Groups for Severe Respiratory Tract Infections

Group	Reasons for Increased Risk	Clinical Impact
Pregnant women	Immunological shifts, reduced lung capacity	Severe pneumonia, preterm birth, fetal compromise
Infants & young children	Immature immune system	RSV bronchiolitis, viral pneumonia
Elderly	Immunosenescence, comorbidities	High hospitalization & mortality rates
Immunocompromised	Reduced viral clearance	Prolonged infections, severe disease
Chronic disease patients	Reduced physiological reserve	Exacerbations of COPD, asthma, CHF

Preventive strategies: vaccines and non-pharmaceutical interventions

Vaccination: cornerstone of prevention

Recent literature underscores the critical role of vaccination against major respiratory viruses. A narrative review published December 2024 demonstrated that immunization against SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV significantly reduces severe disease, hospitalizations, and mortality among vulnerable individuals — including older adults and those with frailty or comorbidities.

For pregnant women, the guidance recently updated by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) emphasizes that COVID-19 vaccination (including booster doses) is safe during pregnancy, and beneficial both for the mother and the newborn. Vaccination reduces maternal complications, preterm birth, stillbirth, and provides passive immunity to infants during early life.

Moreover, maternal immunization has demonstrated effectiveness in reducing neonatal and infant morbidity and mortality from respiratory viral infections. A 2025 review from India found that maternal immunization (e.g., influenza) substantially lowered deaths and severe outcomes in newborns — a critical consideration for countries with diverse perinatal populations.

In addition to influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, emerging preventive options for RSV are gaining traction; current evidence supports passive immunization in early infancy (e.g., monoclonal antibodies), and active immunization strategies are under development.

Finally, there may be indirect benefits from vaccines targeting bacterial pathogens: a systematic review showed that pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) may reduce the incidence of viral RTIs by disrupting viral-bacterial interactions in the respiratory tract.

Given this, comprehensive immunization strategies — integrating influenza, COVID-19, RSV (as vaccines/antibodies become available), and pneumococcus — should form a central pillar of prevention, especially for high-risk individuals.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions and healthcare practices

Vaccination alone is not sufficient. According to guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe region, standard measures remain vital: staying home when ill, rigorous hand hygiene, cough etiquette, ensuring adequate indoor ventilation, and, in high-risk settings or crowded indoor spaces, mask-wearing and physical distancing when appropriate.

In healthcare settings — especially ICUs or wards managing severe RTIs — timely identification and triage, isolation or cohorting of suspected cases, use of droplet/contact (and when indicated, airborne) precautions during aerosol-generating procedures, and rapid initiation of antivirals (e.g., for influenza) are essential.

Also, the 2025 UAE position paper called for improved communication between healthcare professionals and patients to close gaps in vaccine uptake and adherence to prevention guidelines.

Call for reinforced preventive strategy in Dubai and similar contexts

Based on the convergence of recent evidence and practical ICU experience, I propose the following prioritized actions:

Promote vaccination aggressively, especially for high-risk groups (elderly, pregnant women, children, chronic disease, immunosuppressed) — including seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccines; and, as they become available or recommended, RSV and pneumococcal vaccines/antibodies.
Public health education: Raise awareness among patients and communities about the risks of RTIs, benefits of vaccination, and importance of early presentation in case of symptoms.
Hospital and community infection control: Reinforce NPIs — hand hygiene, cough etiquette, staying home if symptomatic, mask use in crowded indoor spaces or high-transmission periods; improve ventilation in households, workplaces, and public spaces.
Health-system readiness: Hospitals and ICUs should prepare protocols for timely triage, isolation/cohorting, and early antiviral therapy; public health authorities should monitor viral circulation and communicate risks effectively.
Perinatal care integration: Obstetricians, midwives, primary care providers should integrate respiratory virus vaccination (influenza, COVID-19) into routine antenatal and postnatal care, to protect both mothers and newborns.

Key Preventive Measures for Winter RTI Prevention

Level	Measure	Evidence & Impact
Individual	Annual influenza vaccine	Reduces severe disease & ICU admissions
	COVID-19 vaccine/booster	Reduces hospitalization & maternal-fetal risks
	Maternal vaccines (influenza, COVID-19, RSV)	Protects mothers + newborns
Household	Staying home when ill	WHO recommends as first-line prevention
	Good ventilation & hygiene	Reduces viral concentration indoors
	Masking when symptomatic	Particularly important for protecting infants
Healthcare system	Early testing & antiviral use	Reduces complications if started early
	Isolation/cohorting	Limits nosocomial transmission
	Public health communication	Enhances vaccine uptake (UAE 2025 position paper)
Community	Surveillance & seasonal alerts	Supports early preparedness

Why winter prevention matters — broader implications

Failure to implement preventive measures results not only in increased morbidity and mortality among vulnerable individuals, but also in broader health system strain. When ICUs are saturated with severe pneumonia cases, other critical care needs (e.g., trauma, surgery, non-respiratory emergencies) may be compromised.

Moreover, viral RTIs in high-risk populations — especially infants and the elderly — can lead to long-term sequelae (e.g., chronic lung disease, developmental issues in children, exacerbation of comorbidities in older adults). Preventive measures, therefore, contribute to healthier ageing and reduced long-term healthcare burden.

Finally, prevention — especially through vaccination — has societal and economic value: reduced hospitalizations, fewer workdays lost, lower risk of outbreaks in communities, and preservation of healthcare resources.

Conclusion

Seasonal surges in respiratory tract infections during winter remain a formidable challenge — particularly for high-risk groups such as pregnant women, children, and the elderly. Recent evidence (2024–2025) reaffirms that vaccination (influenza, COVID-19, and eventually RSV) combined with non-pharmaceutical measures are the most effective way to protect these vulnerable populations.

A coordinated approach — integrating public health outreach, perinatal care, community education, and healthcare system preparedness — is essential.

In the coming seasons, given the ever-present threat of viral evolution (including influenza and zoonotic viruses), robust prevention strategies are not optional — they are lifesaving.

Dr. Mahmoud Medhat Aboumousa

Critical Care Specialist

International Modern Hospital Dubai

Health

Emirates Specialty Hospital Expands Cancer Care Services in Dubai with Opening of Dedicated Chemotherapy Unit

New facility at Dubai Healthcare City aims to improve access to specialised cancer treatment, bringing personalised oncology care and medical expertise together under one roof

Dubai, UAE: Emirates Specialty Hospital in Dubai Healthcare City has announced the opening of a dedicated chemotherapy unit within its Emirates Oncology Centre, marking a significant expansion of its cancer care services and strengthening access to specialised oncology treatment for patients in Dubai.

The newly established unit has been designed to provide chemotherapy treatments in a dedicated clinical setting, with an emphasis on patient safety, individualised treatment plans and continuous medical support throughout the cancer care journey.

The opening comes as healthcare providers increasingly recognise the importance of delivering cancer treatment through a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach that addresses not only the disease itself but also the physical and emotional challenges patients may experience during treatment.

For many cancer patients, chemotherapy involves repeated hospital visits, ongoing medical assessments and careful monitoring of treatment responses and potential side effects. Access to a specialised facility supported by experienced oncology professionals can play an important role in ensuring continuity of care and helping patients navigate what is often a complex and demanding treatment journey.

Bringing specialised cancer treatment closer to patients

The Emirates Oncology Centre brings together medical expertise and patient-focused services to support individuals undergoing cancer treatment.

The oncology services are supervised by Prof. Dr. Marwan Ghosn, Consultant Medical Oncologist, and Dr. Mohamed Elbassyouny Alawy, Specialist Medical Oncology, who oversee the delivery of specialised oncology care.

Treatment plans are developed according to each patient’s diagnosis, medical condition and individual clinical needs, with an emphasis on evidence-based medical practice, careful monitoring and appropriate supportive care.

The dedicated chemotherapy unit forms part of the hospital’s broader strategy to strengthen its specialised medical services while maintaining high standards of clinical quality and patient safety.

Cancer care goes beyond chemotherapy

While chemotherapy remains an important treatment option for many types of cancer, oncology care increasingly requires a comprehensive approach that considers each patient’s overall health, treatment tolerance and quality of life.

Patients receiving chemotherapy may experience a range of challenges, including fatigue, nausea, changes in appetite and other treatment-related effects that require ongoing medical attention.

The Emirates Oncology Centre places particular emphasis on supporting patients throughout these challenges, with treatment decisions guided by clinical assessment and individual patient needs.

The approach reflects a growing shift in cancer care towards personalised treatment, where medical teams consider the characteristics of the disease alongside the patient’s health, circumstances and treatment goals.

Equally important is the need for clear communication between doctors, patients and their families, particularly when discussing treatment options, expected outcomes and possible side effects.

By placing patients at the centre of clinical decision-making, the hospital aims to provide a treatment experience built around medical expertise, informed choices and compassionate care.

Strengthening Dubai’s specialised healthcare services

The opening of the chemotherapy unit represents another step in Emirates Specialty Hospital’s ongoing efforts to expand its clinical capabilities and provide comprehensive healthcare services within Dubai Healthcare City.

As demand for specialised healthcare continues to evolve, the availability of dedicated oncology facilities is increasingly important in supporting timely access to treatment and ensuring patients can receive appropriate care within an established hospital environment.

The hospital said the new unit reflects its commitment to investing in specialised medical services and improving the overall patient experience through coordinated care, experienced healthcare professionals and a strong focus on clinical safety.

With the opening of the dedicated chemotherapy unit, Emirates Specialty Hospital aims to further strengthen its role in providing specialised cancer care in Dubai, offering patients and their families access to personalised treatment and medical support at every stage of their journey.

For more information please visit our website : Emirates Hospitals Dubai – Best Hospital in Dubai, Top Rated

About Emirates Specialty Hospital

Located in Dubai Healthcare City, Emirates Specialty Hospital is a multidisciplinary healthcare facility providing a range of specialised medical and surgical services. The hospital continues to expand its clinical capabilities, with a focus on medical expertise, patient-centred care and high standards of healthcare quality and safety.

Health

When Rheumatoid Arthritis Threatened Her Independence: How the Right Diagnosis Helped Her Get Her Life Back

For a 45-year-old UAE resident, persistent pain and swelling turned out to be rheumatoid arthritis. Early recognition and treatment helped her return to work, driving and the family life she feared she might lose.

For Dilini Ayesha, driving is much more than a job.

For the 45-year-old mother of two, who has lived in the UAE for 16 years, driving is a profession she has built her independence around. For the past eight years, she has worked as a driving instructor at Emirates Driving Institute, including as a VIP instructor training people to drive larger vehicles and four-wheel drives.

She is also a mother to an adopted daughter and a five-year-old son.

So when unexplained pain and swelling suddenly began affecting her hands, her greatest fear was not simply the pain itself. It was the possibility that rheumatoid arthritis might prevent her from continuing to work and caring for her family independently.

Her journey began with what appeared to be an unrelated injury.

In December 2024, Dilini fell and injured her knee while helping a recovery truck load her vehicle. Several months later, she suffered another fall at home, causing a more significant knee injury. Following an MRI, she underwent ACL reconstruction and meniscal repair and spent around two and a half months recovering.

She was looking forward to returning to her normal routine.

But shortly after returning to work, she developed severe swelling and pain in both hands.

“At first, I thought it might be connected to my surgery or that it would settle down,” Dilini recalls. “But the pain kept getting worse.”

She was prescribed different painkillers, but the symptoms continued to progress. She eventually found herself struggling to grip a steering wheel or use her hands normally.

“For me, the pain felt like 15 out of 10,” she says. “I know that isn’t a normal pain scale, but that is honestly how it felt.”

The physical pain was accompanied by something else: fear.

“What if I can’t drive anymore? What if I can’t work anymore? How will I take care of my children?”

It was at this point that Dilini was referred to Dr Muhammad Azhar Abdullah, Consultant Rheumatologist at NMC Royal Hospital Sharjah.

Rather than assuming that the symptoms were simply part of her recovery from the knee injury, Dr Azhar investigated the underlying cause.

Clinical assessment and blood investigations pointed towards rheumatoid arthritis (RA) — a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the joints, causing inflammation, pain and swelling.

“Rheumatoid arthritis is not simply wear and tear of the joints,” explains Dr Azhar. “It is an inflammatory autoimmune disease, and if the inflammation remains uncontrolled, it can progressively damage the joints. It can also be associated with problems affecting other parts of the body.”

For Dilini, receiving a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis finally provided an explanation for what was happening to her body.

“Having an answer was important to me,” she says. “When you don’t know what is happening to your own body, the fear becomes even bigger.”

Why recognising rheumatoid arthritis early matters

Rheumatoid arthritis can present differently from person to person, but persistent joint swelling, prolonged morning stiffness, pain and difficulty moving the affected joints should not simply be dismissed as ageing, overuse or ordinary aches and pains.

One important distinction is that not all arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis and other inflammatory rheumatic diseases can produce joint symptoms, but their causes and treatments are different.

That is why identifying the underlying condition matters.

In Dilini’s case, identifying rheumatoid arthritis allowed treatment to be started without waiting for further progression.

“Once we identified that she was dealing with rheumatoid arthritis, the priority was to control the inflammation and prevent further problems,” says Dr Azhar. “The aim of treatment in rheumatoid arthritis is not simply to reduce pain temporarily. It is to control the underlying disease, protect joint function and help the patient maintain her quality of life and independence.”

Her improvement was gradual rather than an overnight transformation.

Over the following weeks, the inflammation and pain began to settle. Her hand function and mobility improved, and by around the third week, Dilini was able to return to work.

She could once again hold the steering wheel.

She could work.

And she could return home and care for her children independently.

“I felt like I had been given my life back,” she says.

When treating rheumatoid arthritis means protecting a person’s dreams

This year’s World Arthritis Day campaign theme, “Achieve Your Dreams,” highlights the aspirations and goals of people living with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. For Dilini, her dream was not complicated.

It was to continue working, driving and being there for her children.

Her experience demonstrates why early recognition of rheumatoid arthritis matters. The disease can cause permanent joint damage if inflammation remains uncontrolled, while it may also have effects beyond the joints.

“Patients sometimes wait because they think joint pain is something they simply have to live with,” says Dr Azhar. “Persistent swelling, prolonged morning stiffness or unexplained joint pain deserve medical assessment, particularly when symptoms are affecting everyday activities. The earlier we identify rheumatoid arthritis, the earlier we can discuss appropriate treatment and work towards controlling the disease.”

Today, Dilini is back behind the wheel and back to the life she feared she might lose.

“I am driving. I am working. I am taking care of my children,” she says. “I don’t take any of those things for granted anymore.”

Her message to others is simple:

“If you are experiencing unexplained pain, swelling or stiffness, please don’t ignore it. Get yourself checked. Sometimes, getting the right answer can be the beginning of getting your life back.”

For Dilini, that diagnosis did more than explain her symptoms.

It helped protect the life she had worked so hard to build.

Dr Muhammad Azhar Abdullah is Consultant Rheumatologist at NMC Royal Hospital Sharjah.

Health

Saudi German Hospital Dubai Launches Mental Health and Wellness Center for Children and Adolescents

Saudi German Hospital Dubai Launches Mental Health and Wellness Center for Children and Adolescents

A comprehensive care system aligned with the Dubai Mental Wealth Framework

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 10 October 2026

Saudi German Hospital Dubai has launched the Saudi German Mental Health & Wellness Hub, unveiled at an evening event at Raffles The Palm on 9 October 2026. The Hub is designed to end the fragmented experience many families face when navigating mental healthcare by bringing psychiatrists, psychologists and relevant hospital specialties together around a single, shared plan for each patient.

The Hub is designed as an ecosystem of comprehensive care, connecting prevention, early identification, specialist assessment, treatment, family support and ongoing follow-up through one coordinated plan for each patient. The model aligns with Dubai’s Mental Wealth Framework and its emphasis on prevention, early intervention, access to care and community wellbeing.

Child and adolescent mental health sits at the centre of the model. The Hub operates on the conviction that a child’s difficulties cannot be understood in isolation from their home, classroom and development, and that care should reflect all three.

Supporting children and families from the start

Services available at launch for children and adolescents include comprehensive psychiatric and psychological assessment; support for emotional, behavioural and developmental concerns; psychoeducational assessments for learning difficulties; ADHD assessment and management; and ASD assessment with individualised support across communication, social interaction and behaviour. Parent guidance and, where appropriate and with consent, collaboration with schools are built into the pathway — not offered as an afterthought.

Mental health care across every stage of life

Adult and older adult services include psychiatric assessment, medication management and individual therapy; treatment for depression, anxiety, OCD and related conditions; trauma-informed care for PTSD; geriatric psychiatry; couples and family counselling; addiction assessment and treatment; and community mental health education.

Speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and further developmental programmes are in development and will be confirmed once clinical staffing and readiness are in place.

Dr Ahmed Eissa, Group CEO of Saudi German Health UAE, said: “Many families come to us after years of seeing different specialists who never spoke to each other. A child gets one diagnosis here, a referral there, and the parents are left to hold it all together. We designed this Hub as an ecosystem of comprehensive care, bringing psychiatry, psychology and related specialties together around one plan, from early identification to treatment, follow-up and family support. This approach supports the objectives of Dubai’s Mental Wealth Framework and helps more people access coordinated mental healthcare at every stage of life.”

The Hub’s clinical team brings expertise in adult, child and adolescent, and addiction psychiatry; clinical psychology; psychoeducational and neurodevelopmental assessment; psychotherapy; and couples and family counselling. Team members carry international experience from the UAE, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, with a specific commitment to culturally and linguistically responsive care.

As part of Saudi German Hospital Dubai, the Hub has direct access to other medical specialties when physical and mental health needs intersect — an advantage that standalone clinics cannot easily replicate.

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About Saudi German Health UAE

Saudi German Health UAE is part of the regional Saudi German Health network, providing hospital, multidisciplinary and specialist medical services through its facilities in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. Guided by its Caring Like Family philosophy, the group places people and their needs at the centre of the healthcare experience.

For more information or to book an appointment

www.saudigerman.com/psychiatry-mental-health-clinics/

Call: 800 2211

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