Muscat – The Ministry of Health (MoH) has released its comprehensive annual health report for 2022 detailing significant health trends and efforts in the sultanate.

The health report captures critical health and vital indicators at the governorate level, tracking data back to 1970. Notably, it includes not just data from MoH but also from other government health agencies and the private health sector.

The report shows a notable decline in crude birth rate, from 20.7 per thousand population in 2015 to 15.7 in 2022. Likewise, infant mortality dropped from 9.5 deaths per thousand live births in 2015 to 8.8 in 2022. Maternal mortality also saw a decrease, now standing at 17.1 deaths per 100,000 live births.

On the infrastructure front, the total number of health institutions affiliated to MoH is now 263, including 50 hospitals, 21 polyclinics and 192 health centres. In addition, there are 27 dialysis units and 13 blood donation units.

In human resources, the health sector workforce adds up to approximately 59,000. MoH employs account for 67% of these, with 7% in other government sectors and 26% in the private sector.

As of 2022, MoH’s records show over 39,000 employees, marking a 2.7% decrease since 2015. By the end of last year, the ministry employed around 6,000 doctors (6.2% less since 2015) and 15,425 nurses (5.1% more since 2015).

The health report highlights Omanisation rate of 71% within MoH, with professions like dentists, pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, health aides and nursemaids boasting rates of 95% or higher. The Omanisation percentage for doctors and nurses stand at 37% and 62%, respectively.

Outpatient visits saw a drop in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 precautionary measures, but increased in 2022 with about 14.9mn visits registered.

There has been significant progress in controlling infectious diseases like measles, with only five cases recorded in 2022. The sultanate has also been free of polio since 1993 and diphtheria and neonatal tetanus since 1992. Notably, immunisation rates in 2022 exceeded 98%.

In contrast, the report highlights a marked rise in dengue fever cases, totalling 1,989. In response, MoH has collaborated with pertinent authorities to tackle the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector of this disease.

Organ transplantation data for 2022 indicates 12 kidney donations, 13 kidney transplants, ten liver donations and ten liver transplants were performed.

Over 79,000 surgeries were performed in 2022, with Muscat governorate accounting for 36.7% of these.

The report reveals 37.9% of outpatient morbidity stemmed from infectious diseases, while non-communicable diseases accounted for 43.5%.

Data from hospitals under MoH shows that in 2022, around 13 per 10,000 residents were admitted for ischemic heart disease, seven per 10,000 for febrile infectious diseases (including COVID-19), six per 10,000 due to diabetes, and two per 10,000 for high blood pressure.

The report further reveals a decline in hospital deaths in these health institutions in 2022 to 4,287, down 29.8% compared to 6,110 in 2021.

Despite a decline in road accidents in recent years, the figures for injuries and deaths remain alarming. Health facilities under MoH reported 11,600 injury cases, with 3,164 requiring hospitalisation. Of these, 188 individuals lost their lives before reaching a health facility, while 73 passed away while hospitalised.

Oman has 35 hospitals, 1,552 clinics/diagnostic centres and 975 pharmacies operating in the private sector.