Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) on Monday held an official ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the new Muscat Rehabilitation Centre at Al Amerat under the auspices of Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed al Saeedi, Minister of Health.
The event was held at the project construction site and was attended by a number of government and PDO officials including Wali of Al Amerat, His Excellency Mohammed bin Humaid al Ghabshi, PDO Managing Director Raoul Restucci, and PDO External Affairs and Value Creation Director Eng. Abdul-Amir bin Abdul-Hussain al Ajmi.
The specialized centre will provide robust addiction treatment programs and rehabilitation support to facilitate the integration of patients back into society.
The 5,400m2-facility will include forensic medicine, detoxification, and emergency departments, an outpatient clinic, handicraft workshops, gymnasiums, swimming pools, and a library for in-patients. With a 113-bed capacity, the complex will have dedicated male and female wards and amenities.
The RO2.5 million project will be funded by PDO as part of its flagship Social Investment programme, which focuses on five key themes in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including “Good Health and Well-being.”
A joint working team from PDO and the Ministry of Health (MOH) has been formed to manage and supervise the building’s construction, which is expected to be completed in 2022. The team will use the Lean business efficiency methodology, pioneered in Oman by PDO, to minimise costs and resources and ensure best practices are applied.
Dr. Ahmed al Saeedi said, “We are delighted to lay the foundation for this centre today, which will be looking after patients with addiction.
“In cases of addiction, there is a 70% risk of recurrence after treatment. The only way to reduce the recurrence rate is by having centres like this where individuals can be rehabilitated under the supervision of professionals in the field.
“While we already have a specialised unit, unfortunately the capacity is limited. Now with PDO’s support, the capacity will be increased and the addition of new facilities will allow patients to integrate back into the community after the period they spend at the centre.”
And Eng. Abdul-Amir Al Ajmi said: “The centre will not only provide medical treatment for patients struggling with addiction, it will also rehabilitate and equip them with the necessary personal and employability skills that will allow them to gain independence and seamlessly integrate back into society.
“The health sector has always been one of the key priorities of our Social Investment programme, and this focus is now aligned with the Oman Vision 2040 which aims to create a leading health system adopting global standards.”
Earlier this year, PDO signed a funding agreement with the MOH to pay for medical equipment for the Orthopaedics Department at Khoula Hospital, and another with Sultan Qaboos University Hospital to fund medical equipment for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit which handles 5,000 baby deliveries a year, including high-risk referrals from different regions.
Al Saidi said: “We are delighted to lay the foundation for this centre today, which will be looking after patients with addiction.
“In cases of addiction, there is a 70% risk of recurrence after treatment. The only way to reduce the recurrence rate is by having centres like this where individuals can be rehabilitated under the supervision of professionals in the field.
“While we already have a specialised unit, unfortunately, the capacity is limited. Now with PDO’s support, the capacity will be increased and the addition of new facilities will allow patients to integrate back into the community after the period they spend at the centre.”
And Eng. Abdul-Amir al Ajmi said: “The centre will not only provide medical treatment for patients struggling with addiction, it will also rehabilitate and equip them with the necessary personal and employability skills that will allow them to gain independence and seamlessly integrate back into society.
“The health sector has always been one of the key priorities of our Social Investment programme, and this focus is now aligned with the Oman Vision 2040 which aims to create a leading health system adopting global standards.”
Earlier this year, PDO signed a funding agreement with the MOH to pay for medical equipment for the Orthopaedics Department at Khoula Hospital, and another with Sultan Qaboos University Hospital to fund medical equipment for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit which handles 5,000 baby deliveries a year, including high-risk referrals from different regions. A virtual meeting to follow up the implementation of the National Campaign for Immunization against COVID-19 was held today at the Ministry of Health headquarters, chaired by H.E. Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Saidi, Minister of Health in the presence of Undersecretaries and joining Directors General of Health Services at Governorates as well MOH Directors General.
A statement issued online by the Ministry of Health (MOH), said:" The health minister was updated about developments of immunization and the obstacles to reaching target groups, notably the irresponsible false information disseminated throughout the social media platforms making the most vulnerable groups reluctant from receiving the vaccines. Consequently, more people got infected and admitted particularly in intensive care units."
" His Excellency stressed the significance of reporting any side effects – if found- after being vaccinated, highlighting that no severe complications have been spotted."
H.E. Dr. Al Saidi affirmed during the meeting that:"Oman is extremely attentive in selecting effective safe vaccines.”
“Meanwhile, the health minister called upon all target groups to take the initiative to receive the vaccine to protect themselves and their families, urging everyone to adhere fully to the preventive procedures such as wearing masks, physical distancing, avoiding gathering, and maintaining hand hygiene,” MOH said in the statement.
"Moreover, the meeting emphasized the role of the primary healthcare institutions being the first contact with the community. The role of the health committees in the wilayats was further activated in the meeting and encouraging PHC workers and assistance categories to taking the vaccine were highlighted.
"It should be noted that the Ministry has developed a community manual for the immunization campaign, and has urged Directors General of HS in the Governorates to supervise and making these drives a success,” the statement added.
SOURCE: TIMESOFOMAN