Are you sick? This hospital treats you with five-star service

People suffering from psychiatric disorder and substance abuse now have a state-of-the-art resort-style hospital to take care of them. 

Called, Al Amal Hospital for Management of Psychiatric Disorder and Substance Abuse, it was opened under the patronage of H E Dr Mohammed Saif al Hosani, Undersecretary for Health Affairs in the Ministry of Health in the wilayat of Rustaq in South Batinah recently.

Speaking to Muscat Daily, Mohammed Ghazala, financial and administrative director of the hospital said, “The hospital is the first-of-its kind treatment resort for de-addiction in the sultanate and the GCC. We also treat patients with psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression in addition to Alzheimer’s, and children’s psychological disorders such as urinary incontinence and learning difficulties.”

Ghazala said that there are 25 male cases in the hospital undergoing treatment for substance abuse. “Twenty of them are Omanis and the rest are from other Gulf countries. The hospital can receive between 40 to 60 cases. We get about 90 to 150 cases per month in the outpatient clinics for treating addiction and psychiatric disorders. We are open seven days a week,” said Ghazala.

Ghazala explained how the hospital location has been chosen keeping in mind the nature of the cases received.

“We need to provide a calming atmosphere as well as privacy to our patients so that they can be treated properly,” he said. The hospital, situated on 55,000sq m land is in Al Ghashab area, is located in the middle of a date palm farm and natural plantations that provides space for patients to move about.

“The Ministry of Social Development gave space for this hospital and charges only a nominal rent. We are also planning to allocate a department in the hospital to treat women who are addicted by the end of this year,” he said. The main goal of the hospital is to change the way society looks at addiction and psychiatric issues, said Ghazala.