Cardiac surgery procurement cycle reduced to 48 hours

Muscat: The Projects, Tender and Local Content Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, on Sunday launched a new electronic feature on the “Amana” digital platform within the Requests Management System, aimed at reducing the cardiac surgery supplies procurement cycle to 48 hours, thereby securing medical supplies for cardiology and cardiac surgery for the National Heart Centre at the Royal Hospital.

The launch ceremony was held under the patronage of Dr. Hilal Ali Al Sabti, Minister of Health.

Eng. Thamer Said Al Kathiri, Representative of the Directorate General of Government Procurement at the Projects, Tender and Local Content Authority, affirmed that this initiative embodies a tangible model of effective institutional integration among government entities in the Sultanate of Oman. 

It seeks to pioneer administrative and technological tools that contribute effectively to enhancing public spending efficiency, improving the quality of therapeutic services, and reinforcing the sustainability of medical supply chains with high efficiency.

He explained that linking framework contracts to the Requests Management System has brought about a qualitative leap by radically reducing the time required to process requests, with the procurement cycle declining from a lengthy period previously ranging between 45 and 120 days under the former procedures to merely 24 to 48 hours. 

He emphasised that the system enables the fulfilment of recurring needs without the necessity of floating new tenders for each request, and at fixed prices and terms that ensure the preservation of financial resources and streamline the documentary cycle.

He added that the platform, in its current phase, encompasses 229 essential products of precision cardiac surgery supplies, through unified framework contracts with 23 local suppliers representing the most prominent companies and brands, thereby granting the National Heart Centre extensive flexibility and continuity in supply without interruption.

For his part, Dr. Hamoud Nasr Al Kindi, Head of the Cardiac Surgery Department at the National Heart Centre, the Royal Hospital, explained that the concept emerged in response to the rapid evolution witnessed in the healthcare sector, particularly in the field of cardiology and cardiac surgery, to build a smart and integrated system for managing surgical supplies and materials and supply chains with high efficiency.

He affirmed that this project represents a qualitative shift in procurement and healthcare supply systems by streamlining procedures, accelerating the fulfilment of needs, and providing an accurate database that supports future planning and budget preparation, which reflects directly on the quality of health and therapeutic services.

This project constitutes a practical translation of the Sultanate of Oman’s approaches in employing innovative digital solutions to develop the government procurement system and ensure a seamless transition from traditional procedures to an integrated digital environment managed according to the highest standards of efficiency and transparency. 

-ONA