Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Sec8 e 2
Sec8 e 2
132 OMAN
Omani scouts taking The Sultanate won the Diamond Shield in the one-off International
part in the 50th World Telecommunications Competition, organised by the World Organisation of the
Scout ‘Jamboree-on- Scout Movement from lst January to 3lst December 2007, in celebration of one
the-Air’ hundred years of the scout movement.
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whenever an international health emergency arises (e.g. SARS or Bird flu). A ‘cradle to the grave’
health service is free
The Sultanate’s health care system operates at three levels. They are:- for all Omanis
1 – Effective, high quality primary health care provided by the health centres,
polyclinics and local hospitals in all the Sultanate’s governorates and regions.
2 – Secondary health care provided by the referral hospitals in all Oman’s
governorates and regions, as well as other hospitals in some of the main wilayats,
which offer specialist healthcare requiring a higher level of specialised skills.
3 – Tertiary health care provided by the major hospitals in Muscat (the
Royal Hospital, Khoula Hospital and al Nahdha Hospital), which operate as
nationwide referral hospitals. Ibn Sina Hospital, in Muscat, is a tertiary hospital
for psychological and nervous disorders.
Of the Sultanate’s 59 hospitals, 49 come under the jurisdiction of the Ministry
of Health. The country has a total of some 5,314 hospital beds, or 20.2 beds
per 10,000 of the population. Of these, 4,544 beds – or 85.5% - are in Ministry
hospitals.
Primary health care is provided nationwide by 203 health centres, clinics and
dispensaries. Of these, the Ministry of Health operates 67 health centres with beds,
72 centres without beds, 20 polyclinics and 30 local hospitals, all offering similar
services and facilities.
In 2007 the Health Ministry’s outpatient clinics received 11 million visitors
and around 241,000 patients were treated as in-patients at its hospitals. Some
79,000 surgical operations were performed in the Sultanate’s hospitals.
134 OMAN
Changes in Workforce Densities 1995-2007
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The health service covers every part of the country – rural as well as urban
districts. Its facilities include:-
● In the Governorate of Muscat: the Royal Hospital (622 beds), Khoula Hospital
(447 beds), al Nahdha Hospital (74 beds), Ibn Sina Hospital (74 beds), al Rahma
Hospital, which specialises in chest problems (24 beds) and Quriyat Hospital
(30 beds). Other facilities include the Bausher Polyclinic, al Watteya Polyclinic
(gynaecological and maternity), Quriyat Polyclinic and 23 health centres, including
two with maternity beds.
● In the Governorate of Dhofar: Sultan Qaboos Hospital (450 beds), as well as
hospitals in Taqah, Tawi Ateer, Rakhyut, Sadah and Madinat al Haqq; Dhofar’s
hospitals have a total of 538 beds. Among other facilities are the Salalah Polyclinic
and 27 health centres, 22 of which have maternity beds.
● In the Dakhiliya Region: Six hospitals – in Nizwa, Sumail, Bahla, Adam, Izki
and al Jabal al Akhdhar – with a total of 543 beds, as well as three polyclinics and
15 health centres, including five with maternity beds.
● In the Sharqiyah Region: Ten hospitals – in Sur, Ibra, Ja’alan Bani Bu Hassan,
Ja’alan Bani Bu Ali, Sinaw, Masirah, Wadi Dima wa’l Ta’een, Wadi Bani Khalid,
Samad al Shaan and Bidya. The Sharqiyah is divided into two health regions –
North Sharqiyah with 12 health centres including five with maternity beds, and
South Sharqiyah with two polyclinics and 15 health centres, including nine with
maternity beds. Altogether there are 787 hospital beds in the Sharqiyah Region.
● In the Batinah Region: Ten hospitals – in Sohar, Rustaq, Saham, Wadi Bai Ghafir,
Wadi al Sarmi, Wadi Mistal, Wadi al Hawasna, Wadi al Haimli, Wadi Bani Kharus
and Wadi Hibi. The Batinah is also divided into two health regions – North Batinah
(Sohar Polyclinic, four other polyclinics and nine health centres, including three
with maternity beds), and South Batinah (two polyclinics and eight health centres
with maternity beds). The Batinah Region has a total of 761 hospital beds.
● In the Dhahirah Region: Three hospitals – in Ibri, Yanqul and Tan’am – with a
total of 260 beds, as well as a polyclinic in Ibri and ten health centres including
seven with maternity beds.
● In the Governorate of Buraimi: Two hospitals – Buraimi and Wadi al Jizzi. The
Bay’ah – with 156 beds, as well as a polyclinic in the wilayat of Khasab and three
health centres with maternity beds.
● In the Wusta Region: Three hospitals – Haima, al Duqm and al Jazer – with 72
136 OMAN
Genetic technology OMANISATION
offers new prospects The Omanisation level among the country’s nurses is expected to increase to over
for the care and 80%, with several regions touching 100%. Over 80% Omanisation level may be reached
prevention of genetic by end-2010 in case of pharmacists (84%), physiotherapists (89%), radiographers (88%),
disease. An analysis is assistant pharmacists (85%) etc. Physician Omanisation level is expected to increase to
made at a cytogenetic about 46% by end-2010. Omanisation level in physician specialists is expected to go up
and molecular genetic
from 23% at end-2005 to 38% by end-2010. Specialty Omanisation is expected to reach
laboratory run by the
Ministry of Health in reasonable figures (40-47%) in case of two key specialties viz. General Pediatrics and
Muscat Internal Medicine. However, in two other major specialties, Obstetrics & Gynaecology
and Anesthesiology, Omanisation levels are likely to continue to be low (10-30%) until
at least 2010.
The Ministry of Health pursues an e-Health strategy, according to which Information
Technology and Communication (ITC) will be used comprehensively in all health care
institutions, with information shared across various concerned institutions. The use of
ITC is already widespread in state health institutions and eventually, the Ministry plans
to evolve a National e-Health Records Repository.
There are also a number of private medical facilities as well as those specialising in
ayurvedic, Chinese and homeopathy, along with chiropractor centres.
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