For the purpose of applying the provisions of this Law, the following words and expressions shall have the meanings assigned thereto respectively, unless the context requires otherwise:

State: The United Arab Emirates.
Ministry: The Ministry of Health and Prevention.
Minister: The Minister of Health and Prevention.
Health Authority: Any federal or local governmental entity in charge of health affairs in the State.
Relevant Authority: Any entity in charge of protecting human health and safety in the State and is directly or indirectly involved in applying the provisions of this Law.
Committee: The National Committee of Public Health.
Public Health: The physical, mental, psychological and social wellbeing of members of the society through the sciences, skills and practices intended to protect, enhance and ensure the sustainability of such wellbeing and develop health-friendly environments.
Precautionary Principle: Preventive measures intended to avoid a potential threat to Public Health.
Food: For the purpose of applying this Law, food refers to any raw, basic, fabricated or semi-fabricated material or part of material intended for human consumption through eating or drinking.
Healthy Balanced Diet: Food that contains essential food ingredients and micronutrients, such as iodine, iron and vitamins, and free of harmful ingredients and harmful additions.
Healthy Food Alternative: Foodstuffs intended for human consumption, which meet the conditions and specifications of healthy food, as compared to foodstuffs lacking such conditions and specifications.
Healthy Lifestyles: Life attitudes that help both maintain human health and prevent diseases.
Advertisement: Promoting a particular product or service with the intent of merchandizing, trading in or circulating the same directly or indirectly, using the printed, audio, video or other media.
Waste: All types of hazardous or non-hazardous residues or waste required to be safely disposed of.
International Health Regulations: The rule and controls established by the World Health Organization, in accordance with the regulations thereof, are approved by the State and are in line with its legislation, to reduce the spread of diseases, protect against public health threats and manage public health emergencies at the international level.
Baby: For the purpose of this Law, a baby is below (24) twenty four months of age.
Infants: For the purpose of this Law, an infant is a newborn whose age is more (12) twelve months and below (36) months.
Child: Every person born alive but has not yet completed (18) eighteen calendar years of age.
Adolescent: Every person who completed (10) ten years of age and has not yet reached (20) twenty years of age.
Elderly Person: For the purpose of this Law, a person who reaches sixty years of age or more.
Person with Disability: Every person who suffers from full or partial malfunctioning or disorder, whether permanent or temporary, in his physical, sensory, mental, communicative, educational or psychological organs to such an extent which renders them unable to meet their normal needs in circumstances equivalent to their non-disabled counterparts.
Communicable Disease: An infectious disease caused by the direct or indirect transfer of a pathogen or its toxic outputs or discharges to others and causing the infection.

This Law is intended to:

1.Establish an end-to-end system of scientific and applied rules and systems for the purpose of enhancing and protecting the Public Health, in accordance with the Precautionary Principle and proven scientific evidence and pursuant to the International Health Regulations and any other regulations approved by the State.
2.Enhance coordination and cooperation at all internal and external levels in the area of preparedness for and response to health issues.
3.Raise the society's awareness of the factors and threats impacting human health and the causes thereof, establish the feeling of individual and collective responsibility and raise the society's awareness of human health protection methods.
4.Reduce risks impacting human health and society.
 

The provisions of this Law shall apply to all matters related to the public health in the State, including free zones.

1.A committee, to be called (The National Committee of Public Health), shall be established, under the chairmanship of the Minister and comprising a number of representatives of the Ministry, Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities as members. The Cabinet shall issue a resolution forming such Committee, nominating its members and determining its operating system.
2.The Committee shall have the following functions:
a.Review draft strategies of public health protection.
b.Supervise the implementation of prevention and immediate response plans in the society.
c.Coordinate the roles of the Ministry, Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities concerning the Public Health protection.
d.Set the priorities and propose mechanisms for supporting and developing research and studies related to the Public Health.
e.Perform any other function entrusted to the Committee by the Cabinet.

The Ministry shall, in coordination with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, develop the policies and strategies related to the Public Health and shall prepare the plans and programs related to prevention and immediate response in the society and mechanisms of their implementation and assessment.

Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities shall provide the Ministry with all information, data or statistics required for the purpose of applying the provisions of this Law and resolutions issued in implementation hereof.

Health Authorities, Relevant Authorities and the Ministry shall exchange any information, data or statistics in this regard.

1.The Ministry shall, in coordination with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, establish the controls required to be fulfilled for appointing, training, licensing and classifying the staff members required to work in the area of Public Health.
2.The Ministry shall coordinate with and provide support to the entities in charge of the Emiratization in the State, so that a growing increase in the Emiratization quota of medical staff operating in the State can be achieved.
 

Health Authorities, Relevant Authorities and the Committee shall cooperate and coordinate with the Ministry to achieve the following:

1.Monitoring the health status in the State and preparing necessary regular reports in that respect.
2.Developing groundwork and standards necessary to evaluate overall Public Health programs and policies.
3.Identifying Public Health issues and highly-prioritized health threats.
4.Identifying the management of hazardous materials impacting the Public Health.
5.Developing monitoring and preparedness mechanisms to address Public Health threats.
6.Developing media systems and rules in the area of public health.
7.Developing mechanisms to review emergencies, disasters and crises at the health level in the State.
8.Any other issues required under a resolution to be issued by the Cabinet.

The Ministry shall, in coordination with the Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, develop policies and strategies of health guidance, education and promotion in the area of Public Health. Health Authorities shall develop their implementation programs according to such policies and strategies.

The Ministry and Health Authorities shall provide services related to family health, including the following:

1.Medical examination and health counselling for future spouses.
2.Reproductive health and raising awareness thereof and maternal care, particularly during pregnancy, delivery and post-delivery and breastfeeding.
3.Raising awareness of, and provide training on breastfeeding.
4.Early detection of congenital defects and genetic diseases.
5.Educating family and society on how to take care of and protect the children.
6.Regular medical examinations of Child to follow up his growth and take care of his health, as well as guiding the mother on Healthy Balanced Diet during the period of his growth.
7.Updating preventive vaccination on a regular basis and ensuring the quality thereof, along with providing a universal health coverage under a specific policy.

The Ministry shall, in cooperation and coordination with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, establish the conditions and controls of merchandising and organizing the sale of Baby and Infant health formula and products.

The Ministry shall, in cooperation and coordination with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, establish the controls for promoting and protecting health of educational institutions' students and workers.

The Ministry shall, in cooperation and coordination with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, establish the controls for promoting and protecting the physical and mental health of adolescents and combating negative behaviors threating their health.

The Ministry shall, in cooperation and coordination with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, establish the controls for promoting and protecting Elderly Persons' health, provide them with the integrated healthcare and ensure that the appropriate environment is made available to them, including their care centers and institutions.

The Ministry shall, in cooperation and coordination with Relevant Authorities and Health Authorities, establish the controls for promoting and protecting health of the people with disabilities, provide them with the integrated healthcare and ensure that the appropriate environment is made available to them.

The Ministry shall, in cooperation and coordination with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, establish the controls for promoting and protecting the mental health of the society's members, provide them with health services necessary for them in this area, as well as ensuring their prevention against psychological and mental diseases, behavioral disorders and addiction.

The Ministry shall, in cooperation and coordination with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, establish the controls and policies of Healthy Balanced Diet and monitor the implementation thereof, particularly the following:

1.Minimizing the consumption of unhealthy foods as much as possible.
2.Encouraging the consumption of healthy foods, so as to ensure access to a Healthy Balanced Diet.
3.Setting the rules organizing healthy foods Advertisements.
4.Revitalizing the role of authorities in charge of consumer protection in the area of healthy foods.
5.Setting the standards and requirements for nutrition facts labels.
6.Setting the standards and requirements for dietary supplements and herbal products.
7.Setting rules related to the provision of Healthy Food Alternative.
 

The Ministry shall cooperate and coordinate with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities on all matters related to the area of food safety to protect the Public Health in the society.

Relevant Authorities shall, in coordination with the Health Authority, set the policies and measures for supporting and encouraging physical activity and physical exercises and promoting Healthy Lifestyles.

Relevant Authorities shall, in coordination with the Ministry, set the policies and measures for combating tobacco and tobacco products, pursuant to the legislation in force in the State.

The Ministry, Health Authorities, associations of public benefit and organizations related to the Public Health shall encourage, organize and develop scientific research, studies and periodic statistics in the area of Public Health, in cooperation and coordination with Relevant Authorities.

In order to make a health Advertisement, it shall:

1.Not be misleading;
2.Not involve unreal matters deceiving the public opinion;
3.Not be detrimental to Public Health; and
4.Meet the conditions, controls and procedures issued under a Cabinet resolution.
 

Subject to the legislation in force in the State, the Ministry shall, in cooperation and coordination with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, set and follow up the following:

1.Controls and conditions ensuring the health and safety of workers in all worksites in the State, including treatment, rehabilitative and preventative services.
2.An occupational and environmental safety and health management system, updating it regularly and making sure that workers abide by the same.
3.A registration and follow-up system of all incident cases, work-related injuries and occupational diseases.
4.Physical fitness controls and conditions required to perform and continue to perform work duties.

The Ministry shall cooperate and coordinate with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities to develop policies necessary for the prevention against Communicable Diseases, including zoonotic diseases, which constitute a threat to the Public Health, and shall take necessary actions for combating the same.

The Ministry shall cooperate and coordinate with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities to set policies necessary for preventing and combating non-Communicable Diseases, as well as all matters constituting a threat or risk to the Public Health.

Relevant Authorities shall take necessary measures in areas related to the protection of human health against environmental risks and hazardous materials impacting the Public Health, as well as ensuring the compliance with the requirements, which include:

1.Ensuring that potable water is safe for human consumption.
2.Health supervision of beaches and public swimming pools.
3.Monitoring wastewater, wastewater systems and purification plants and ensuring that hygiene requirements are met.
4.Waste treatment and safe disposal thereof pursuant to the legislation in force.
5.Public Health pests, rodents, agricultural pests and insects control.
6.Air protection against pollution.
7.Protection against radiological, chemical and biological risks.
8.Noise control.
9.Planning towns in a way ensuring the promotion and protection of Public Health.

The Minister may issue a resolution, after coordinating with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, prohibiting the import, trading in, promotion, marketing, production or manufacturing of any material, product or element harmful to the Public Health. The Minister may also resolve that such materials be either destroyed or disposed of according to the applicable controls in this regard.

The Ministry shall issue a resolution, after coordinating with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, supervising the application and follow-up of procedures required by International Health Regulations, including the enhancement of basic capabilities necessary in this field.

The Ministry shall, after coordinating with Relevant Authorities, set necessary preventive conditions and controls and relevant procedures pertaining to the transport and burial of dead bodies.

Relevant Authorities shall coordinate with the Ministry or Health Authorities to determine grave locations, so as to ensure the protection of Public Health.

The Ministry shall, in cooperation and coordination with Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities, develop a system for reporting any violation of any provisions of this Law.

All Health Authorities and Relevant Authorities shall coordinate with the Ministry in the areas related to pharmaceutical products, medical facilities and any other products of a health use, in order to ensure their quality, safety and availability, in line with the Public Health protection requirements in the society.

1.The penalties set forth in this Law shall not prejudice any severer penalty stipulated by any other law.
2.A fine of not less than (AED 10,000) ten thousand dirhams and not more than (AED 50,000) fifty thousand dirhams shall be imposed against any person who violates any of the following:
a.Healthy food requirements.
b.Healthy food facts labelling requirements.
c.Food supplements and herbal products requirements.
d.Rules related to the provision of Healthy Food Alternative.
3.Any person who violates the conditions and controls related to merchandising or selling foods and products related to Babies, pursuant to the provisions of Article (11) above and the resolutions issued in implementation thereof, shall be penalized with a fine of not less than (AED 50,000) fifty thousand dirhams and not more than (AED 300,000) three hundred thousand dirhams.
4.Any person who supply foods not in conformity with the health requirements and standards that shall be met pursuant to the provisions of article (12) above and resolutions issued in implementation thereof to any educational institution or the like, shall be penalized with a fine of not less (AED 50,000) fifty thousand dirhams and not more than (AED 300,000) three hundred thousand dirhams. However, the person-in-charge found at the place of supplying or selling such foods in the educational institution or the like, shall be penalized with a fine of not less than (AED 10,000) ten thousand dirhams and not more than (AED 50,000) fifty thousand dirhams if he is aware of the same.
5.Any person who publish or broadcast a health Advertisement, in violation of the rules and requirements of valid Advertisements, referred to in Article (22) above, shall be penalized with a fine of not less than (AED 50,000) fifty thousand dirhams and not more than (AED 150,000) one hundred fifty thousand dirhams.

Employees identified by a resolution of the Minister of Justice, in agreement with the Minister, head of the Health Authority or head of the Relevant Authority, shall have the capacity of judicial officers to detect the violations committed against the provisions of this Law and the resolutions issued in implementation thereof, within the respective area of competence of each one of them.

The Cabinet shall issue resolutions necessary for implementing the provisions of this Law, at the proposal of the Minister.

Any provision contradicting or repugnant to the provisions of this Law shall hereby be repealed.

This Law shall be published in the Official Gazette, and shall enter into force three months following the date of its publication.