Muscat – The Royal Hospital has achieved an international milestone after its Adolescent Medicine Unit won the 2026 Hilary E.C. Millar Award for Innovative Approaches to Adolescent Healthcare, presented by the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine in the United States.

The prestigious award was presented to Dr Nahed bint Mohammed Jaber, Consultant Adolescent Medicine Specialist and Head of the Adolescent Medicine Unit at the Royal Hospital, making her the first Arab physician to receive the honour since the award was established.

The recognition highlights the Royal Hospital’s pioneering role in advancing innovative approaches to adolescent healthcare in Oman. Dr Nahed led the establishment of the first comprehensive Adolescent Medicine Unit in Oman, designed to address the unique physical, developmental and psychological needs of adolescents.

A key element of the award-winning initiative was the integration of adolescent medicine as a mandatory training module for all resident physicians within the pediatric residency programme at the Oman Medical Specialty Board. The initiative aims to strengthen professional competencies and ensure that future generations of physicians are trained in line with international best practices.

The achievement also reflects the development of the Healthcare Transition model at the Royal Hospital, designed by Dr Nahed to ensure a safe and structured transition for adolescents with chronic conditions from pediatric to adult healthcare services. The model addresses a long-standing clinical gap while improving continuity of care and enhancing patients’ overall quality of life.