Muscat – The Ministry of Health (MoH) on Sunday revealed the outcome of its investment laboratory, held from December 4 to 29 last year, that helped the country to identify several projects in the health sector.

At the ‘Laboratory Outcome Announcement Conference’, H E Dr Fatma bint Mohammed al Ajmi, MoH Undersecretary for Administrative, Financial and Planning Affairs, informed that 19 investment projects, 11 investment opportunities, and 14 enabling initiatives have been identified following the laboratory.

The laboratory came up with proposals for several projects and initiatives promoting investment in the health sector.

The conference on Sunday was held with support from the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit and in cooperation with the Oman National Investment Programme ‘Nazdaher’.

H E Dr Fatma informed that the ‘medical industries pillar’ came up with eight projects, most notably the partnership project with the Oman Investment Authority to study the supply chain for medicines and equipment and the ways of providing them.

“The development of the central drug analysis laboratory and pharmaceutical control is one of the most important enabling initiatives in the medical industries pillar.”

In the ‘health services pillar’, two-investment projects have been shortlisted for raising the efficiency of the health services, as well as five enabling initiatives to develop the national health institutions’ accreditation system, improve data system supporting health investment, provide incentives and facilities for health investment and empower the drug, devices and medical requirements sector.

H E Dr Fatma informed that the health services pillar further resulted in eight investment opportunities to improve the quality and efficiency of health services.

The ‘health promotion pillar’ resulted in seven investment projects to promote public health for individuals and strengthen efforts to provide healthy patterns that preserve people’s lives and health.
This pillar also included three enabling initiatives addressing the health regulations such as public health law, national health policy of Oman, and health centre regulations.

The ‘public enablers pillar’ came out with two investment projects covering health techniques and technological solutions. It also had one investment opportunity designated for learning, training and health innovation. The pillar also includes four enabling initiatives concerned with the modern health techniques, medical coding and other public enablers.

H E Dr Fatma stressed that the lab outcomes included integrated investment opportunities in the four pillars. “The Ministry of Health, other partners and developers will take charge of these opportunities to achieve the desired goals.”

The ministry will promote these investment opportunities and prepare them to be handed over to entrepreneurs, according to the mechanisms that will be announced soon, she added.

Dr Halima bint Qalam al Hinai, Health Sector Supervisor at Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Unit, stated that developing the health sector has an important economic and social dimension and the ability to attract investors to improve the private health sector potential to support the government health services.

The four-week investment lab last year was held with an objective of encouraging investments in the medical industries, improving the quality and efficiency of health services, and promoting health and public enablers such as governance, empowering human resources, training and qualification to keep pace with Oman Vision 2040 goals.