Sunday 19 / May / 2024
Muscat: Health institutions play a key role in the well-being of the nation and the 263 health institutions in the Sultanate of Oman have been playing a major role to ensure the well-being of citizens and the expatriate community.
According to the Ministry of Health’s annual report of 2022, there has been an increase in the number of visits to outpatient departments (OPDs) of health institutions in Oman with a staggering 14.9 million visits recorded, with around 41,000 visits per day.
The total discharge from inpatient departments reached about 295,000 patients, with a bed occupancy rate of 59.6 percent.
According to the report, the total number of health institutions affiliated with the Ministry of Health until the end of last year reached 263 health institutions, including 50 hospitals with a capacity of 4,954 beds, 21 health complexes and 192 health centres.
Among the other highlights in the report was the decline in the birth rate to reach 15.7 live births per thousand population in 2022, compared to 20.7 in 2015. The total number of births in the ministry’s health institutions reached around 60,000 births in 2022.
The infant mortality rate decreased from 9.5 deaths per thousand live births in 2015 to 8.8 in 2022 while there was a reduction in the maternal mortality rate. It reached 17.1 deaths per 100,000 live births for the same period, despite the decrease in the ministry’s recurring expenses in 2022 by more than 3 percent compared to 2015. There has been a decrease in the number of deaths in hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health during the year 2022 (4,287 deaths) compared to the year 2021 (6,110 deaths), a decrease of 29.8 percent.
Infectious diseases
The report said that the incidence of infectious diseases has decreased to low levels, courtesy the immunisation programme, especially for young groups, where immunisation rates during 2022 exceeded 98 percent. The report said that about 37.9 percent of outpatient morbidity was due to infectious diseases, while non-communicable diseases represented 43.5 percent, and the number of cases sent for treatment abroad rose to 1,040 cases.
The Ministry’s efforts to contain measles were successful as only 5 cases were recorded in 2022, noting that no cases were recorded during 2020 and 2021. A decrease in the incidence of hepatitis was also recorded. The Sultanate of Oman has remained free of polio since 1993, diphtheria since 1992, and neonatal tetanus since 1992.
Significant increase in dengue cases
The report indicated a significant increase in dengue fever, with 1,989 cases recorded. This led to a campaign by the ministry, in cooperation with the relevant authorities, to combat the Aedes mosquito (the carrier of this disease).
Traffic accidents
The report found that 11,600 cases of injury in outpatient clinics and accident and emergency departments were due to traffic accidents, with 3,164 cases occurring, and the number of deaths reaching 188.
On organ donations, the report said that 12 people donated kidneys and 10 people donated livers. There were 13 kidney transplants and 10 liver transplants performed during 2022, and more than 79,000 other surgical operations were done.
The total number of patients receiving dialysis reached 2,436 patients, and the number of beds reached 449 in which more than 334,000 dialysis sessions were performed. The report also highlights the efforts of the ministry to improve the quality of health services provided at all levels, noting that there are 27 dialysis units and 13 blood donation units in the country.
71 percent Omanisation
The total workforce in the health sector, according to the report, is around 59,000 employees, with an Omanisation rate of 71 percent. In some job categories, the percentage has reached 95 percent or more, such as: dentists, pharmacists, pharmacist assistants, health assistants, and nursemaids.
The ministry has also made consistent efforts to maintain the health of school students, as 98 percent of first and second grade students underwent oral and dental examinations and the student immunisation progamme was around 100 percent. Besides that, environmental health activities, drinking water quality, and students’ nutritional status, in addition to mental health have been monitored.
Hospital admissions
Statistical data for patients admitted to hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Health indicate that about 13 out of every 10,000 residents were hospitalised due to ischemic heart disease during the year 2022, seven out of every 10,000 residents due to febrile infectious diseases (including COVID-19), and six out of every 10,000 of residents were hospitalised due to diabetes and about two out of every 10,000 residents due to high blood pressure.
The health report issued annually by the Ministry of Health, represented by the Department of Information and Statistics, contains many indicators related to health and health services provided, and highlights the ministry’s interest in developing its health services with primary and specialised health care provided in all health institutions spread throughout the Sultanate of Oman.
The report is considered a major support with the necessary data and information in planning, monitoring and evaluation processes and for making the right decision. This report also helps in providing international and regional health-related organisations with health data related to the Sultanate of Oman.
