Muscat: Dr Mohammed bin Saif al Hosani, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Health for Health Affairs, said improvement of primary healthcare sector in health institutions in the governorates is linked to a set of issues, including absence of a unified entity responsible for all health services provided in the Sultanate of Oman, and the financial aspect that represents a major obstacle for the ministry in developing services and their continuity.
During his meeting with the Health and Environmental Committee of the Majlis Ash’shura on Monday, he indicated that it was necessary to increase the number of hospitals and specialised human cadres, to upgrade the special skills of Omani medical staff.
The meeting was attended by Hilal bin Hamad al Sarmi, Head of the Committee, members, and specialists from the ministry. It coincided with the committee’s study on “evaluation of the quality of primary healthcare institutions in the country.”
The meeting reviewed the performance of primary healthcare institutions and their absorptive capacities, quality of services provided, ability to work in times of crisis, standards and controls in the geographical distribution of primary healthcare institutions in the country, and the basic criteria for determining health services that are provided in some centres.
In addition, the meeting touched upon topics related to the availability of specialised and qualified human cadres and medical devices, plans to appoint qualified human cadre to work in health centres, as well as a review of the possibility of investing in the primary healthcare system.
