Rusayl Industrial Estate hosts workshop

Muscat: Rusayl Industrial Estate, which falls under the umbrella of the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (PEIE), held a workshop on Monday, entitled ‘Health Insurance for Industrial Workers’, which is also known as ‘Aman’.
The workshop was hosted in cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The workshop was held at the Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) under the auspices of Eng. Sami bin Salim Al Sahib, Director General of Industry in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Al Sahib pointed out that this initiative comes following a meeting at the Minister of Commerce and Industry with industrialists on the Sultanate’s Industry Day, as well as the decision of the Council of Ministers to put in place compulsory health insurance for workers in the private sector.
Al Sahib explained that the programme seeks to insure the largest number of workers within one insurance system, to encourage insurance companies to provide the best service at the lowest cost. He added that through this initiative, the ministry will work to maintain the rights of workers, while encouraging them to increase their productivity.
He also noted that the high cost of health insurance for industrialists increases the operational costs for factories, as well as production, the cost of products, in addition to contributing to a lack of competitiveness in local and global markets. Therefore, this initiative will play a role in ensuring the Sultanate remains competitive worldwide.
Al Sahib added that the initiative was created to cover the increasing number of workers in the industrial sector, which does not match with the health services provided to them.
Ahmed Shawqi, Marketing Director at National Tea Company, delivered a detailed presentation on the insurance programme, which he said seeks to cover all workers in the industrial sector under an insurance cover the suits the reputation and status of the Sultanate.
“Omanis and expats shall benefit from the initiative. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry supports this initiative and ensures that everyone benefits from the service without any complications,” Shawqi added.