Muscat – The Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority, launched on Sunday a specialised advanced training programme on response to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) incidents and medical decontamination.

The programme will continue until October 20 and is aimed at strengthening the readiness of the healthcare system and enhancing the capabilities of national cadres in dealing with major incidents and hazardous materials.

The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of  Dr Abdullah bin Hamoud Al Harthi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development for Persons with Disabilities.

More than 40 doctors, consultants and healthcare professionals from various specialisations and relevant entities will participate in the month-long programme. It also includes a specialised Training of Trainers (ToT) programme for around 20 participants, who will be qualified as national trainers capable of transferring knowledge and expertise and continuing training in CBRNE incident response and medical decontamination.

Dr Rashid bin Mohammed Al Alawi, Director General of Khoula Hospital, said the programme reflects the Ministry of Health’s commitment to strengthening the readiness of the healthcare system and raising the efficiency of national cadres in dealing with different types of major incidents and hazardous materials.

He emphasised that an effective response to such incidents requires a high level of qualification and training, as well as coordination and integration among the various concerned entities.

He added that the programme provides an important opportunity to benefit from specialised international expertise and transfer best practices to national cadres, while focusing on building sustainable capabilities through training and qualifying national personnel capable of continuing to transfer knowledge and expertise and developing capabilities in this field.

Dr Thuraiya Mohamed Al Sulaimi, who coordinates disaster preparedness and hospital resilience protocols at Khoula Hospital, said the programme represents an important step in strengthening the healthcare sector’s readiness to deal with major incidents and emergency scenarios involving chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or explosive materials.

She said the programme will focus on strengthening integration among different teams, specialisations and relevant entities, as well as enhancing coordination during incident response to ensure clarity of roles and responsibilities and rapid decision-making.

The programme includes theoretical sessions and practical exercises covering safe and effective response mechanisms for incidents involving hazardous materials, risk assessment, management of exposure and contamination cases, medical triage and evacuation, medical decontamination procedures, and measures to protect patients and healthcare workers.

International experts from the ICRC will participate in the programme, contributing international expertise and best practices in CBRNE incident response and the management of associated risks. Their participation will support efforts to build national capabilities and develop professional practices in this field.

On the sidelines of the opening ceremony, Khoula Hospital and the ICRC signed an agreement to strengthen national capabilities in preparedness and response to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents and explosive incidents, and to enhance the readiness of healthcare personnel to deal with them in line with best practices.