‘39% DOCTORS IN HEALTH SECTOR ARE OMANIS

The Health and Environment Committee in Majlis A’Shura on Wednesday hosted H E Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Obaid al Sa’eedi, Minister of Health, to discuss a number of topics related to the health sector in the sultanate. 

The meeting was held in the presence of H E Khalid bin Hilal al Ma’awali, chairman of Majlis A’Shura, Mohammed bin Abubaker al Ghassani, deputy chairman, Ali bin Khalfan al Qutaiti, chairman of the Health and Environment Committee, members of the committee and a number of Majlis A’Shura’s members. The meeting was attended by H E Sheikh Dr Ali bin Talib al Hinai, Undersecretary for Planning Affairs in the Ministry of Health, H E Dr Mohammed bin Saif al Hosani, Undersecretary for Health Affairs in the ministry and Sayyid Dr Sultan bin Yarub al Busaidi, Health Affairs advisor in the ministry.

The discussions of the Health Committee focused on several axes, including the plan of the Ministry of Health in the Omanisation and replacement in health jobs during the next five years, health insurance, as well as the financial deficit and the reasons for the low budget of the Ministry of Health and its impact on health services.

The meeting also discussed the implications of raising the fees for services in the private and public health sector, as well as the importance of providing specialised health care (level-3) in the various governorates, in addition to the ministry’s position on the declared health projects that have not been implemented or are planned to be implemented. During the meeting, H E Dr Sa’eedi highlighted the ministry's efforts in recent years.

He said that despite the difficulties in funding and budgets faced by the health sector in recent years, the sultanate has been able to maintain its position among the countries of the world in the field of health systems effectiveness.

The Minister of Health pointed out that all Omani graduates from medical colleges have been either employed or trained, stressing that the ministry absorbs all medical outputs and provides them with various training programmes. He stressed that Omanisation rate among consultants is 64 per cent, Omani doctors in health sector is 39 per cent while the number of expatriates reached 61 per cent.

During the session, extensive discussions were held on various health issues, including the demand to strengthen medical services in the various governorates of the sultanate and to review the fees imposed on some health services in private health institutions.