Oman's Health Minister hails role of healthcare staff during pandemic

Muscat: The Intra-action review (IAR) for COVID-19 response workshop began on Wednesday under the patronage of Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Saidi, Minister of Health (MoH).

The 2-day workshop is organised by the Ministry of Health’s Directorate General of Disease Surveillance and Control in cooperation with the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean as well as the WHO office in Oman.

It comes in preparation for the visit of the regional office team to conduct the IAR in due course.

The health minister highlighted the country’s efforts exerted in COVID-19 response and exchange of expertise, applauding the remarkable role of the health personnel during the pandemic.

Dr. Al Saidi stated that COVID-19 has imposed many challenges on the health systems, governments, as well as communities, noting that the workshop will highlight all actions taken to confront the pandemic.

Dr. Jean Jabbour, WHO Representative in Oman remarked in the relations between the Ministry and the WHO prior and amid the pandemic, and the work to strengthen the joint efforts in respect to sharing of expertise and experiences from the Sultanate’s health sector.

Dr. Dalia Samhouri, Programme Area Manager at the Country Health Emergency Preparedness & HIR reviewed the significance and objectives of the programme, in addition to the expected outcomes. The MOH’s Director General of Disease Surveillance and Control Dr. Saif Al Abri presented the epidemiological situation of COVID-19, COVID-19 response pillars, response plan, as well as the recovery plan and phases of immunisation.

The workshop aims at building national capacities on conducting IAR, and offering the opportunity to exchange experiences and collectively analyse the actions taken so far to respond to the current COVID19 pandemic in a bid to identify best practices, challenges, and lessons learned.

The workshop is an opportunity to extrapolate lessons learned from actions taken by the Sultanate during COVID-19 response.

It should be noted that the agenda of the expected visit would review essential health services pillars in the Sultanate for COVID-19 procedures as per the WHO documents.

The two-day intra-action review (IAR) workshop addresses approach to conduct the IAR, which includes number of pillars that are country-level coordination, planning and monitoring, in addition to risk communication, community engagement and infoemic management (RCCEIM).

The approach involves also surveillance, case investigation and contact tracing, as well as points of entry, national laboratory system, infection prevention and control, and case management and knowledge sharing about innovations and the latest research.