Muscat – The health sector has recorded significant progress under Oman Vision 2040, with new hospitals, governance reforms and digital initiatives reshaping service delivery, according to Ministry of Health (MoH) data released on Sunday.

The reforms, implemented during the 10th Five-Year Plan, combine infrastructure expansion with legislative and technological updates aimed at building a sustainable and inclusive healthcare system.

Under Royal Decree No 10/2024, the sector’s governance framework was restructured into three specialised units, granting governorates wider authority and enhancing decentralisation. Authorities also moved to unify care delivery by establishing the University Medical City and the Medical City for Military and Security Services, while transferring medical services from the Diwan of Royal Court to the Ministry of Health. The step aims to align strategy, improve spending efficiency and standardise care nationwide.

Four new hospitals – in Suwaiq, Khasab, Al Mazyounah and Wadi Bani Khalid – have become operational. Expansion projects have been completed at Suhar, Nizwa and Sur hospitals, as well as the National Heart Centre.

Primary healthcare capacity has been boosted with the opening of two health complexes and seven health centres, alongside the upgrade of nine local hospitals.

Specialised services introduced during the period include an in-vitro fertilisation centre, the National Centre for Virtual Health, nine dialysis units, seven accident and emergency units, and the Central Public Health Laboratory.

Construction is under way on 21 additional health facilities. Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Salalah has reached 83% completion, while Samail Hospital stands at 71%.

MoH has also expanded the use of artificial intelligence in diagnostics. The National Programme for Diabetic Retinopathy Screening has screened more than 30,000 patients with reported accuracy rate of 92%, cutting waiting times by over 80%.

The Omani Genome Programme was launched to support personalised medicine and the Unified Health Record system was rolled out linking 255 facilities across the country.

In the pharmaceutical sector, the number of operational factories has increased to 21, with 18 more projects in development. Six advance purchase agreements have been signed with local manufacturers to produce biopharmaceuticals, intravenous solutions and treatments for genetic diseases.

Officials said these measures have enhanced domestic production capacity and improved international rankings, with Oman rising to 55th place in the Legatum Prosperity Index.

In 2023, life expectancy at birth was 77.2 years, while community satisfaction with health services rose to 82.4%, reflecting improvements in service delivery and workforce development.

Authorities said the next phase will focus on improving efficiency, expanding digital solutions and enabling national medical cadres to meet growing demand and achieve Vision 2040 targets.