dossier - june 09
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Dossier - June 09TRANSCRIPT
1HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-2010
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POWER OF BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
EDITORIAL
1
From just one 12-bed hospital in 1970, the healthcare infrastructure in Oman has come a long way. The
credit for the major strides made by Oman in the healthcare standards in a short span goes primarily to
the Ministry of Health. The government has been aggressively spearheading innovations and improve-
ments in the healthcare infrastructure, creating new institutions and programmes such as ‘Five-Year Health
Development Plans’ to fulfill the health needs as well as address potent threats emerging from health problems.
If we look at the healthcare indicators, Oman has put up an impressive show. For a population of roughly 3 mil-
lion people, Oman has 59 hospitals, 159 health centers, 5000 doctors and overall workforce of 28,875 employed
in the healthcare sector. The numbers will be much higher today as the numbers given above are for the data
upto 2007 only. In the last few years following the policy of decentralisation, the government has encouraged
the private sector to expand their network and scope of services. As a result, numbers of new healthcare com-
panies have opened their facilities not just in the main cities but in the interior as well.
On the positive side, communicable diseases are under control in Oman. Take for example, the deadly ill-
nesses such as Swine flu which has affected many parts of the world have not created any impact in Oman.
But lifestyle-related diseases are rising in number especially in the urban areas. Many people are suffering from
problems such as obesity and diabetes. A concerted effort by the government, NGOs and even private sector
companies is underway to spread awareness on healthy eating, regular exercising and stress management to
address the issue.
Another area of concern for Oman is HIV/AIDS. At the end of 2008, Oman had 1,119 registered cases of HIV/AIDS
among Omanis. Not a very high number but it is believed that almost 100 new cases are added every year. To
avoid further spread of HIV/AIDS in Oman, a two-year National Aids Community Awareness Campaign has been
launched. The new campaign, called “Let’s Talk About AIDS”, is aimed at reducing discrimination to people liv-
ing with HIV/AIDS in the country and increase awareness on the prevention of HIV/AIDS among young people.
In recognition of the advancement made by Oman in healthcare infrastructure and services, OER Dossier has
brought out this special publication HEALTHCARE – AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-10, which provides an in-depth
report on the healthcare infrastructure in detail and presents the views and interviews of relevant industry
experts. It extensively covers various branches within healthcare such as hospitals and clinics, pharmaceuticals,
medical equipment, alternative medicine and therapies, dental clinics, eye clinics, fitness centres and fitness
equipment, etc.
If you have any feedback or a suggestion to make, please do contact us.
Akshay Bhatnagar
Healthy Living
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-20102
CONTENTS
Quality Medical Services4A Comprehensive Overview of Oman’s Healthcare sector -- a long–term priority for the Sultanate.
16 Towards e-health
50 For your eyes only
I N F O C U S Special Features
22 HOSPITAL & POLYCLINICS
30 DENTAL CARE
32 HEALTH INSURANCE
38 FITNESS EQUIPMENT
40 FITNESS CENTRES
44 ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES & THERAPIES
48 EYE CARE
54 PHARMACEUTICALS
56 EVENT FEATURE
57 HEALTH DIRECTORY
Sponsored features
24 MUSCAT PRIVATE HOSPITAL
26 HATAT POLYCLINIC
27 ATLAS STAR MEDICAL CENTRE
28 APOLLO MEDICAL CENTRE
34 FALCON INSURANCE COMPANY SAOC
35 NATIONAL LIFE AND GENERAL
INSURANCE COMPANY SAOC
36 OMAN QATAR INSURANCE COMPANY
41 MUSCAT SPORTS
42 SPORTS SOLUTIONS LLC
46 ALL SEASON AYURVEDA CLINIC
52 MUSCAT PHARMACY & STORES LLC
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-20104
When Sultan Qaboos bin Said
Al Said became the leader of
Oman in 1970, there were two
small hospitals with a total of 12
beds and 13 physicians – or one physician
per 50,000 people. In the relatively short
amount of time since then, the Sultanate’s
health care system has become one of the
government’s most-lauded achievements.
The current system is modern and well-
funded, and has proven itself adept at
reducing significantly or eliminating
entirely health problems that were com-
mon 38 years ago. This success can largely
be attributed to the state’s five-year health
plans, the first of which was put in place in
1976. Currently the country is in the midst
of the seventh five-year plan (2006-10),
which is primarily focused on ensuring the
quality of primary health care services; edu-
cating and training Omanis in preventive
health and health awareness; decentralising
the Ministry of Health (MoH) and encourag-
ing autonomy in hospitals and clinics; and
attracting and training more Omani doctors
and nurses.
These measures were developed in response
to the health challenges that Oman is cur-
rently facing and will continue to face over
the next decade. While the state has had
much success in the eradication of most
communicable diseases, non-communica-
Fit for the future
The MoH and other
government entities
own and run 93% of
the country’s hospitals
and control 98% of
total hospital beds.
The state employs
78% of the doctors
and 93% of the nurses
in the Sultanate. The
public sector accounts
for 98% of in-patient
visits and 81% of out-
patient visits
OVERVIE W
Photo Courtesy: Oman Medical College
ble diseases, such as obesity and glucose-
intolerance, are on the rise, as they are in the
rest of the Gulf. Because the MoH is focused
on providing basic care for the majority of
Omanis, it has faced challenges in a number
of specialty areas, such as mental health
(including psychology and psychiatry) and
geriatric care.
These services need to be further developed.
Finally, the population of Oman is growing
at a rapid 3.2%, which will eventually cause
financial trouble for the state-subsidised
health care industry. Thus, the government
is beginning to consider the merits of priva-
tising the sector, although no concrete plans
have yet been made.
ORGANISATION: Health care in Oman is
officially divided into the following nine geo-
graphical areas: Muscat, Al Batinah, Ash Shar-
qiyah, Ad Dakhliyah, Adh Dhahirah, Al Wusta,
Dhofar, Al Buraymi and Musandam. Each area
is administered by regional MoH offices, which
are overseen by a head office in Muscat.
This region-centric scheme was developed
and then put in place in the early 1990s.
In 1993 the MoH instituted health direc-
torates at the wilayat (district) level for even
more localised care. Finally, in 2000, individ-
ual hospitals were given complete control
over their affairs.
Eight years later, the high level of localisa-
tion in Oman has not completely sunk in yet
and some regional and local health directo-
rates continue to rely on the national office
for direction. With this in mind, one of the
major goals of the seventh five-year plan
is the promotion of regionalisation within
each of these areas. By 2010 the MoH hopes
that all regions will be autonomous in terms
of “decision making in specified technical,
administrative and financial affairs”.
Health care for citizens is heavily subsidised
in the Sultanate. Omanis are responsible
only for an annual payment of OR1 ($2.67)
and a 200-baisa ($0.53) fee each time they
receive medical treatment at a public clinic
or hospital. According to Mohammed Has-
san, the undersecretary of planning at the
MoH, the fee is meant to “remind people
that they have to pay something, that health
Region
Muscat
Dhofar
Ad Dakhliyah
Al Sharqiyah (North)
Al Sharqiyah (South)
South Al Batinah
North Al Batinah
Adh Dhahirah
Al Buraimi
Musandam
Al Wusta
TOTAL
Total institutions
32
35
25
19
21
25
17
14
5
7
8
208
MoH institutions by region, 2007
Source: MoH Annual Health Report, 2007
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-20106
care is not entirely free and should not be
taken for granted.” Subsidising health care
in the Sultanate has not been cheap for the
government for the past five years, due to
Oman’s fast-growing population. “Costs are
an ongoing challenge, of course,” said Has-
san. “In 10 years time we will have to spend
double what we spend right now and, con-
sequently, we will have to resort to alterna-
tive financing.”
Private health insurance is on offer in the
Sultanate, although there are not many
choices and most are out of reach financially
to the majority of Omanis. According to Has-
san, the state has examined the possibility of
instituting compulsory private health insur-
ance in depth, although no decisions will be
made until further review.
BY THE NUMBERS: Health care in Oman
is still primarily based in the public sec-
tor, which accounts for 81% of total health
expenditure. In addition to the MoH, which
is the primary health care provider in Oman
by a substantial percentage, the state runs a
small number of other health-related gov-
ernment entities, including Armed Forces
Medical Services, Royal Oman Police Medi-
cal Services, Petroleum Development Oman
Medical Services and the Sultan Qaboos
University Hospital.
The MoH and these other government
entities own and run 93% of the country’s
hospitals and control 98% of total hospital
beds. The state employs 78% of the doctors
and 93% of the nurses in the Sultanate. The
public sector accounts for 98% of in-patient
visits, 81% of out-patient visits and 41% of
dental care visits.
There are currently 59 hospitals with 5367
beds in Oman, up from 52 hospitals and
3873 beds in 1990 and 30 hospitals and 1879
beds in 1980. Additionally, there are 204 gov-
ernment-run and 787 private health cen-
tres, clinics and dispensaries. The Sultanate
boasts 4908 doctors, or 17.9 per 10,000 of
the total population, up from 3258 and 13.6,
respectively, in 2000. There are also 10,394
nurses, 524 dentists and 916 pharmacists in
the country. The average life span in Oman is
currently around 74.3 years, up from just 49
years in 1970. The infant mortality rate is 10.1
per 1000 live births, down from 64 in 1980
and 118 in 1972, and the country’s maternal
mortality rate is 22.9 per 100,000 live births,
in line with regional standards.
In 2007 the Sultanate spent OR247.6m
($645.5m) on health care, which represents
around 3% of GDP. This percentage is lower
than the regional average of 4.5%, but gov-
ernment officials are quick to point out that
the state has one of the best health care
networks in the Gulf and simply does not
need to spend more. “There is no difference
between the quality of health care Omanis
receive in central Muscat and the remote,
rural regions of the country,” said Hassan.
This claim is impressive for the second-larg-
est country in the Gulf.
REGULATION: Even though the Sultanate
only recently instituted any sort of regula-
tory body for the health care industry, in
the form of the MoH’s quality assurance and
improvement committee, external audits
have shown that Oman has consistently
lived up to regional standards over the past
five years. A number of international health-
related organisations are active in the Sul-
tanate, and the majority have mostly posi-
tive things to say about the sector. “The MoH
has international standards in place, and has
recently affected decentralisation, which is
very, very important,” said Jihane Tawilah,
the World Health Organisation’s (WHO)
Oman representative.
THE PRIVATE SECTOR: Despite the fact
that the Sultanate has a high-quality pub-
lic health care system, the private sector
has flourished over the past few years. This
can be attributed in large part to the MoH,
which has embraced the private sector in a
number of important ways. For example, pri-
vate firms currently provide the majority of
the support services in public hospitals and
health centres. The private sector also plays
a major role in pharmaceuticals and the
dental care.
Photo Courtesy: Atlas Medical Centre
OVERVIE W
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-20108
Privately owned hospitals also play a small
but important role in Oman, primarily serv-
ing the expatriate community, which is only
eligible for public health care with corporate
sponsorship, although a growing number
of Omanis have been checking into private
institutions over the past five years as well.
The government is pushing for Omanis to
take advantage of the private health sec-
tor as a way of relieving some of the pres-
sure on the public system. “Private hospitals
and clinics are not just for expatriates and
wealthy Omanis,” said Salim Zingi, the direc-
tor-general for private health care establish-
ments at the MoH. “They are for everyone.”
The private sector also plays the important
role of increasing competition and, subse-
quently, quality, across both the public and
private sectors. “In general, the private sec-
tor is more dynamic than the public sector,
but the public sector can offer more serv-
ices because it is so big,” said Gerard Strong,
the former director of Muscat Private Hospi-
tal, the Sultanate’s first privately owned and
operated hospital.
The state is eager to attract more private
investment to Oman and has put in place a
number of economic incentives with this in
mind. “The government offers soft loans and,
in some cases, free or subsidised land to pri-
vate entrepreneurs who want to set up clin-
ics or hospitals in the country,” said Hassan.
“The MoH also offers technical support to
private establishments.” The private health
care industry is set to grow substantially
over the next decade, but it is not expected
to overtake the public sector.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING: Omanisa-
tion is a continuing challenge in the health
care sector, as relatively few Omanis have
completed the necessary training to be
hired as doctors.
The government has listed medical train-
ing at all levels as a high priority for the past
15 years and has put in place a number of
programmes to ensure that Omanis will
eventually make up the primary workforce
in the industry. The MoH currently operates
16 medical education facilities, including 11
basic nursing institutes. By the end of the
seventh five- year plan in 2010, Omanisation
levels across the industry are expected to
jump to 81% overall, up from 67% in 2006
and 68% in 2007. Currently, only 29% of phy-
sicians working in the Sultanate are Omani,
although this is set to rise over the next few
years as citizens graduate from local medi-
cal schools and enter the work-force. The
College of Medicine and Health Services at
Sultan Qaboos University and the privately
owned Oman Medical College operate the
country’s two medical doctor programmes,
and both have expanded intake in recent
years in order to meet demand.
UPCOMING CHALLENGES: The primary
health care challenge in Oman has much to
do with preventive care. “Lifestyle diseases
are on the rise,” said Tawilah, the WHO rep-
resentative. “Consequently, the MoH needs
to focus on community participation and
instilling a culture of health in Oman.”
The government has necessarily spent the
majority of the past 38 years bringing the
country up to speed in terms of the most
basic health indicators and infrastructure.
In this time, the MoH has nearly eradicated
most communicable diseases, but has
begun to pay more attention to non-com-
municable diseases, which are increasing
across the region.
“By the year 2020, non-communicable dis-
eases are expected to account for seven out
of every 10 deaths in Oman,” said Hassan.
“The challenge is to promote behavioural
change in the population and to dissemi-
nate such change nationally.” In response to
this issue, the MoH has teamed up with the
WHO to establish community-based health
projects across the country that are meant
to educate the populace and, ultimately,
control the risk factors associated with major
non- communicable diseases. The WHO has
also been working with the MoH to shore up
weak spots in the national health infrastruc-
ture. The international institution has called
attention to the widespread lack of mental
health-related serv- ices and the issue of
occupational health care.
OUTLOOK: The Sultanate’s health care
industry has proven it can overcome major
challenges in a short amount of time. In the
process it has become one of the most suc-
cessful sectors in Oman. Certain challenges
remain, but the government is aware of its
capabilities and has shown that when it
comes to health care, it can carry out com-
plex tasks on a large scale. The growing
contribution of the private sector is seen as
a positive change in the industry and will
likely become integral to the system over
the coming decade.
OVERVIE W
Photo Courtesy: Euro-Arabian Specialist Dental Care
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201010
The contemporary history of health
care in Oman dates back to 1970 when
the reign of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos
commenced. Since that time, Oman
has witnessed rapid and significant improve-
ments in the health industry that were made
possible largely because of the country’s suc-
cess in building a state-of-the-art health care
infrastructure.
During the years of development, the govern-
ment of Oman crafted a health policy based
upon several basic principles: provision of
comprehensive public and personal health
services to its population free of charge,
equity in the distribution of health services
among different population groups, respon-
siveness to health and non-health needs of
the community, community involvement in
planning and implementation of its health
care, and intersectoral cooperation with other
health-related sectors.
The health care system in the Sultanate is
primarily based in the public sector, which
accounts for 81% of the total health expendi-
ture. The public sector, consisting of the Min-
istry of Health (MoH) and other government
entities, runs 93% of the hospitals and 98% of
the hospital beds. It employs 78% of the phy-
sicians, 93% of the nurses and 85% of other
paramedics.
The public sector takes care of 98% of the
inpatient days, 81% of the outpatient visits
and 41% of the dental care visits. Health serv-
ices in Oman have witnessed tremendous
growth since 1970. The sector comprises a
total of 59 hospitals, with 5367 beds.
More than 97% of the population has access
to primary health care services, while the oth-
ers are served through mobile teams. More
than 98% of children are fully immunised
against childhood diseases. About 99% of
pregnant mothers are registered for antena-
tal care services.
The epidemiologic transition from commu-
nicable to non-communicable diseases that
is taking place in Oman has dictated the
type of curative services made available in its
hospitals. All referral hospitals are equipped
with the latest diagnostic and therapeutic
technologies.
These hospitals host 25 specialties and sub-
specialties that provide the most advanced
diagnostic and curative services. An oncology
centre has been established recently in Mus-
cat and there are already plans for establish-
ing three specialised centres for treating car-
diovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus and
genetic disorders.
Currently, advanced surgeries are routinely
performed in Oman’s numerous hospitals,
such as open heart surgery, renal and corneal
transplantations, and joint replacements.
The state of health of the Omani population
has witnessed progressive improvement
over the past years. The crude death rate has
dropped from 13.3 per 1000 people in 1980
to 3.1 in 2007. Life expectancy has increased
to 72 years compared to 49.3 in 1970. The
infant mortality rate and the child mortal-
ity rate have dropped from 118 and 181 per
1000 live births in the early 1970s to 10.1 and
13 in 2007, respectively. Now, morbidity data
shows a clear transition to diseases related to
life style, showing patterns similar to devel-
oped countries.
Cardiovascular diseases, injuries and neo-
plasm are the main causes of morbidity and
mortality. It is important to acknowledge that
such health problems are difficult to control
using the standard public health measures,
and they are mainly related to personal atti-
tudes and practices.
The government’s policy is to encourage
private investment in the health sector by
creating a socio-economic environment
conducive to such contribution. Over the
last decade, the government has laid special
emphasis on the role of the private sector
in the health care industry. It views the con-
tribution of this sector as a complementary
aspect that alleviates the increasing burden
on the public health system.
The government offers soft loans (and free
or subsidised sites in some cases) to private
entrepreneurs that desire to set up clinics or
hospitals in the country. MoH also extends
technical support to private establishments
in several ways.
Development of the private sector, alongside
the public sector health system infrastruc-
ture, has been a contributory factor in signifi-
cantly reducing the number of patients seek-
ing medical treatment abroad.
HE Dr. Ali bin Mohammed bin Moosa, Minister of Health, on the changing
health care system
CARING FOR THE SYSTEM IN OMAN
HE Dr. Ali bin Mohammed bin Moosa
INTERVIE W
HATAT POLY CLINIS
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201012
Due in large part to the reputation
of Oman’s Ministry of Health (MoH)
throughout the Gulf, Oman is current-
ly attracting a substantial amount of
private-sector investment in the health care
sector. The government has welcomed pri-
vate companies into the Sultanate in most
industries and has focused especially on
attracting additional health care investment
by offering financial incentives and, in certain
cases, low-cost or free property. “The presence
of a well-functioning private sector creates
positive competition among all health care
providers, thus improving the scope, quality
and efficiency of health care available in the
country,” said Mohammed Hassan, the under-
secretary of planning at the MoH. With this in
mind, it is no surprise that a number of major
development projects are scheduled to take
place in the Sultanate in the near future.
In the works
As the population is
expected to continue
to grow at a record
rate over the next
decade, both the MoH
and the private sector
will have to expand
to meet demand.
However, due to rising
government health
care costs, the private
sector will grow
significantly in terms
of coverage area,
patients served
OVERVIE W
Photo Courtesy: Oman Medical College
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201014
HEALTH CARE CITY: In early 2008 Majan Devel-
opment Company (MDC), an Oman-based
investment firm, announced it was planning
to build a health care city near the capital,
Muscat. The project would cost an estimated
$774m-1.03bn and provided that the cur-
rently ongoing feasibility study is a success,
as it is widely expected to be, the project will
break ground in 2009. The city will be located
on 1 sq km near Al Madina A’Zarqa and will
include hospitals, medical colleges, hotels,
conference halls and a leisure component.
MDC is jointly owned by the Kuwait-based
Gulf Investment House (50%), Sharjah Islamic
Bank, the Ministry of Defence pension fund
and Real Estate Trading (each with 10%),
the public authority for social insurance and
other institutional investors in Oman (20%).
Dr Moopen’s Group, one of the largest health
services companies in the region, recently
opened the Al Raffah Medical Centre in
Sohar and has plans to invest up to OR6m
($15.6m) more in the Sultanate over the
next three years. The Dubai-based firm has
operated hospitals, clinics and pharmacies
throughout the UAE for 20 years, and is now
beginning to expand into other markets. The
facility at Sohar currently offers a range of
services, including general medicine, gynae-
cology, paediatrics, orthopaedics, radiology
and imaging, and dentistry. The firm’s other
projects in Oman include a hospital at Al Ghu-
brah in Muscat, which should be operational
by 2009, and various other smaller clinics and
pharmacies throughout the Sultanate.
The MoH is also in the process of expanding
its net-work. In April 2008 Ali bin Mohammed
bin Moosa, the minister of health, signed a
contract with local construction companies
to build five new health centres in towns
around the country for a total cost of OR4m
($10.4m).
The clinics will offer various basic services,
including general care, dental, maternal and
child care units, immunisation and treat-
ment rooms, X-ray units, medical labs and
pharmacies. The largest of these clinics, to
be located in Sur, will also have a maternity
ward, educational services, staff accommo-
dations and intensive care units. While some
observers have criticised the state for focus-
ing on general care instead of more special-
ised treatment, the MoH is adamant that clin-
ics reportedly meet the health care needs of
85% of Omanis and so should be expanded.
TRAINING INSTITUTE: A government offi-
cial told OBG that the MoH was in the proc-
ess of developing a private health institute
for training and education, which is sorely
needed in the Sultanate, as the state is work-
ing to increase the number of Omani employ-
ees in all sectors. Health care education insti-
tutes are widely acknowledged to be weak
spots in a strong industry, currently only 29%
of the doctors in Oman are citizens, so a new
training centre is a sound investment.
As the population is expected to continue to
grow at a record rate over the next decade,
both the MoH and the private sector will
have to expand to meet demand. Due to ris-
ing government health care costs, the private
sector will grow significantly in terms of cov-
erage area, patients served and quality.
These developments are the initial stage of
commercial health care in Oman, and their
forecasted success should contribute to
determining the role the private sector will
play in the industry in the foreseeable future.
The Healthcare Overview is courtesy Oxford Business Group ‘s Oman 2009 Report
Courtesy: Atlas Medical Centre
OVERVIE W
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201016
GUEST COLUMN
Transformation NeededThe region’s healthcare market has
experienced significant develop-
ment in all aspects, including pre-
ventive and curative care, as well
as maternal and infant care. This
is reflected in the improvement in
key healthcare indicators across
the region and in Oman. Though
government health organizations
(Ministry of Health & Other Gov-
ernment Health Institutions) have
a prominent role in provision of healthcare services
to the population, private healthcare institutions also
playing a continuously important role. Proportion of
healthcare services provided by the private health-
care entities in the region has portrayed a consider-
able increase over the last decade.
Yet Healthcare is in crisis. It is now becoming appar-
ent that the current paths of many healthcare sys-
tems around the world will become unsustainable by
2015. This may seem a dramatic conclusion, given the
efforts of strong governmental focus, competent and
dedicated healthcare professionals and anticipated
benefits of genomics, regenerative medicine, and
information-based medicine. Yet, it is also true that
costs are rising rapidly; quality is poor or inconsist-
ent; and access or choice is inadequate. The ability of
government in Oman and the region, to continue to
subsidize and bear these rising costs, is going to be
tested, and will become an increasing burden.
These realities, combined with the emergence of a
fundamentally new environment driven by the dic-
tates of globalization, consumerism, demographic
shifts, the increased burden of disease, and expensive
new technologies and treatments are expected to
force fundamental change on healthcare very soon.
Healthcare systems that fail to address this new envi-
ronment will likely “hit the wall” and require imme-
diate and major forced restructur-
ing – a “lose-lose” scenario for all
stakeholders.
The transformational challenge
facing many healthcare systems
globally is daunting. They must
expand their primary focus on
only episodic care to encompass
the life-long and coordinated
management of preventive, acute,
and proactive chronic care. The
answer lies in managed health care systems, inte-
grated healthcare networks, with a clearly defined
roadmap for achieving e-health status, and transfer-
ring the patient information to the real owners of
that information – the patient, and allowing them
to have a say and stake in the quality of healthcare
they can access and benefit from.
Information-based MedicineInformation-based medicine is the process of
improving existing medical practices through the
effective use and application of information in the
diagnosis and treatment of patients. In order to fully
realize its potential, researchers and practitioners
must possess the ability to access, integrate, and
analyze data encompassing a patient’s clinical his-
tory, genotype (i.e., genetic makeup), and pheno-
type (i.e., the properties produced by the interac-
tion of genotype with the environment). As clinical
care and research become increasingly “digitized,”
this vision is becoming a reality through available
technologies, clinical applications and integrated
medical equipment.
Currently, healthcare organizations around the
world are establishing platforms for information-
based medicine. Australia’s Melbourne Health and
Bio21 have integrated a wide range of databases to
support collaborative research and leverage criti-
By Gautam Dey
Vice President &
Chief Operating Officer
Imtac LLC
TOWARDS E-HEALTH & INTEGRATED HEALTH NETWORKS
Source: IBM Institute for Business Value
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HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201018
cal biomedical information. In the United
States, The Mayo Clinic provides its clini-
cians and researchers with real-time access
to and search capability of over six million
patient records. Sweden’s Karolinska Insti-
tutet is establishing a national “biobank” – a
biospecimen repository supplemented with
clinical data – that will greatly enhance the
ability of researchers to identify genetic and
environmental factors, and their interplay, in
the cause and outcomes of disease. In each
case, information queries that once required
days, weeks, and even months, now take sec-
onds and minutes.
Integrated information infrastructures for
clinical research will enable and support the
development of advanced Clinical Decision
Support Systems (CDSS). By mining biomed-
ical and outcome data, health researchers
can identify best clinical practices and new
care provision breakthroughs. This knowl-
edge will also be applied at the point of care
to help guide clinicians.
Information-based medicine will help drive
the transformation of healthcare from its
current local and regional sectors into a bor-
derless industry that spans the globe. It will
better enable practitioners to make more
accurate diagnoses and targeted treat-
ments and also help researchers to discover
new cures. Additionally, patients will access
and manage their personal health informa-
tion and share critical information with their
doctors and other caregivers. The enabler
behind such possibilities remains informa-
tion technology and connectivity.
ICT in HealthcareInformation and Communication Technol-
ogy (ICT) is typically one of the top three
expenditures behind medical costs and sala-
ries in healthcare organizations. It is a critical
component of today’s business infrastruc-
ture and at the core of many cost reduction
and risk management initiatives. Moreover,
the healthcare industry is under continu-
ous pressure from government, insurance
and consumer groups to maintain or reduce
administrative and medical costs while
improving patient care and ICT technology
is seen as crucial to this objective.
ICT in Healthcare comprises an array of tech-
nologies that when seen from the perspec-
tive of the hospital is expected to achieve
the following functions:
Be capable of supporting an increasingly
diverse portfolio of applications targeted
at a broad group of stakeholders within
the system. This includes administrative
management, clinical staff, financial and
accounting group, nursing etc.
Make available a broad range of data
and information access tools (comput-
ers, workstations, wireless, telephone,
handhelds, PDAs, etc) to meet the differ-
ent needs of all users
Take advantage of data integration and
user directed tools to provide cost effec-
tive data access and transaction man-
agement across organizations and func-
tions where possible.
Have staff capable of handling the sup-
port requirements of both the diverse
technology requirements as well as
diverse end users.
Perhaps the most far reaching impact on
Healthcare in the GCC is the mandatory
adoption of Universal Health Insurance in
Saudi Arabia and UAE, which are the two
largest economies in the region. This has
opened up the need to have hospital infor-
1.
2.
3.
4.
mation systems (HIS) to generate insurance
claims, process and settle/reconcile pay-
ments. It also needs to be understood that
Claims and Payor/Provider connectivity
systems have the largest spending in the
US market, where healthcare is insurance
driven. While insurance claims in Oman
are still being settled by manual systems,
the cost of manpower in the GCC with the
upsurge in real estate costs, makes manual
claims processing prohibitively expensive.
The lack of enterprise wide penetration of
good Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and
HIS systems in the care provider commu-
nity is a significant inhibitor in the ability
of the private sector health care practices
to comply effectively and participate in this
integrated environment where inter-oper-
ability and real time electronic seamless
information exchange is key to business
success.
An Introduction to Integrated Health Networks As healthcare evolves, healthcare providers
must find innovative solutions to improve
both clinical and business aspects of health-
care delivery. Some of the major causes
of operational ineffectiveness in health-
care are difficulty in gaining access to data
and slow movement of data. Participants
GUEST COLUMN
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201020
GUEST COLUMN
in a healthcare ecosystem must collabo-
rate in a network to share clinical informa-
tion to optimize responsiveness, enhance
service integration and achieve seamless
communication.
Today, the internet is mature enough to cre-
ate secure wide area networks that connect
healthcare participants. However, the cost of
implementing such solutions by individual
participants or stakeholders as well as the
technology competence required to facili-
tate such cross-organizational services off-
set the benefits of collaboration.
There exist today collaborative and inte-
grated healthcare network solutions that
connect data source organizations (hospi-
tals, clinics, physicians, patients, laborato-
ries, pharmaceutical companies) with data
review organizations (Government agencies
and health insurers)..
Taking integrated healthcare networks a
step further; one can provide a large number
of online services at lowered costs by deliv-
ering existing applications in a centrally
hosted environment across organizational
boundaries. This can include:
Health insurance claims clearing
Claims eligibility, authorization and
reconciling
Online Appointment Scheduling and
Referrals
Radiology and Laboratory orders and
reporting
e- Prescribing
Tele-medicine
Transcription Services
Decision Support
Regulatory Reporting
Directory of Services
Library Resources
Supply Chain Automation
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
Shared Administrative Services ( legal serv-
ices, regulated procedures, recruitment)
Payment Portal
VoIP
Video Conferencing
Instant Text Messaging
Benefits of IHNThe benefits of Integrated Health Networks
(IHN) are manifold. The access to clinical
information for providers being upgraded,
data interoperability through standard
vocabulary has increased; insurance claims,
authorization and reconciliation are done in
a more efficient and cost-effective loss less
manner. The other advantages are as fol-
lows: compliance with government regula-
tions, real-time information exchange for
enhanced collaboration, increased efficiency
with reduced opera tional costs and decision
support and management information sys-
tems with performance measures.
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201022
The health lifelines of Oman
Within a short span of three
decades, Oman’s health
care infrastructure, with
new institutions and new
programmes has ensured
that Omani residents
have access to best possible treatment at
affordable rate. Even a few years ago, a
good number of Omani residents had to go
abroad for most of the health treatments.
But the scenario has changed for the better.
Now the international class health care facil-
ities have come up across the Sultanate. The
transformation comes full circle with the
active participation of the private sector.
As per the Ministry of National Economy fig-
ures, in 2005, there were 198 hospitals and
health centres in Oman which increased to
218 in 2007. A large number of hospitals
and health centres are run by the govern-
ment. The most prominent government
HOSPITALS & POLYCLINICS
Photo courtesy: Apollo Medical Centre
Oman’s positive
approach to
healthcare has helped
it to develop a very
modern infrastructure.
Here patient care is
facilitated by a fully
computerized and
networked Hospital
Information system, a
state-of-the-art clinical
laboratory, dedicated
doctors and health
care professionals
hospital in Oman is the Royal hospital. It is
an important landmark in the development
of health services in Oman during the Ren-
aissance programme. Established in 1987, it
is a large, tertiary, acute-care hospital which
provides state-of-the-art services in the
specialties and sub-specialties of medicine,
surgery, pediatrics, obstetric and gynaecol-
ogy, oncology, and laboratory medicine. The
other leading hospitals are Khoula Hospital,
Sohar Hospital and Sultan Qaboos Hospital.
The private sector is expanding the health-
care facilities in Oman at a fast pace. Badr
Al Samaa Group of Hospitals and polyclinics
has five facilities at Al Khoud, Ruwi, Al Khu-
wair, Sohar and Salalah. The group today
provides advanced treatments in Oman at
affordable rates.
Apollo Medical Centre (AMC) has come up
as a star facility in the healthcare sector of
Oman. AMC, in association with India-based
Apollo Hospitals’ Group, is providing the
most modern state-of-art healthcare serv-
ices with dedicated professionals.
Dearth of private clinics in the 90’s had led
to the inception of Hatat Polyclinic, which is
now catering to the need for a high quality,
affordable medical service in Muscat. One
of the largest and oldest healthcare groups
in Oman, Lama Polyclinic LLC has three
branches and over 26 services in different
specialties.
Atlas Star Medical Centre, run by world
renowned Atlas Group, with a chain of more
than 50 Jewel outlets in all GCC, opened its
first medical centre in 2004, in Dubai, and
has been able to extend its success to Mus-
cat, Sohar and Salalah.
The quality of healthcare services is one of
the determinants of good health in any soci-
ety. Oman’s positive approach to healthcare
has helped to develop a contemporary infra-
structure. Here patient care is facilitated by a
fully computerized and networked Hospital
Information system, a state-of-the-art clini-
cal laboratory and dedicated doctors and
qualified health care professionals, lending
it a human face.
FACILITIES• Delivery Rooms • Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU)• State- of-the-art Operation Theatres• Fully Equipped Intensive Care Unit (ICU)• Radiology & Imaging Services • Laboratory Services• Sophisticated In-patient Rooms • Telemedicine Service
SPECIALTIES• Gynecology & Obstetrics • Neonatology & Pediatrics• General Medicine • General Surgery • ENT • Orthopedics• Cardiology • Plastic & Cosmetic Surgery • Dermatology• Dentistry • Diabetology and Endocrinology• Ophthalmalogy • Neurology
HEALTH CHEQS• Apollo Comprehensive Health Cheq• Apollo Executive Health Cheq• Apollo Women Health Cheq• Apollo Senior Citizen Health Cheq• Apollo Cardiac Health Cheq• Better Life Health Cheq• Visa Medical Health Cheq
P.O. Box 1097, Al-Hamriya, P.C. 131, Sultanate of OmanPhone: +968 247 8776 / 247 8266/ 247 87780 Fax: +968 247 00093Email: [email protected]
Other Branch: Apollo Clinic, Adjacent to Royal Hospital Round About,Ghala, Sultanate of Oman Tel: 245 91432
APOLLO - CENTRE FOR MATERNITY & SURGERYAPOLLO - CENTRE FOR MATERNITY & SURGERY
Photo Courtesy: Oman Medical College
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201024
Four fully equipped operating theatres con-
taining the state-of-the-art air conditioning
and sterilization unit is exclusively designed
for this hospital. It also enjoys a reputa-
tion for its highly developed physiotherapy
department, which competes with some of
the best in the region.
MPH has a highly qualified and equipped,
five bed, critical care unit, with the latest
technology and equipment. In an effort to
reach out better to the citizenry, MPH now
offers several health packages including
Executive Health Screening, Antenatal Pack-
age and Women’s Health Services.
The Executive Health Screening (EHS) pack-
age is based on the fact that early detection
of key individual risk factors is crucial for
improved prevention of serious illness. This
includes a comprehensive medical evalua-
tion comprising full review of medical his-
tory, lifestyle habits and a complete physical
examination performed by highly trained
specialists with focus on risk factors for heart
disease and cancer (blood pressure, weight,
BMI, etc). Women’s Health Services is an exclu-
sive, one-stop service that covers all areas of
women’s health and provides a high degree
of personal care. It provides an innovative and
quality healthcare programme to women and
their families by integrating medical, educa-
tional, and social courses in a confidential and
compassionate atmosphere.
Healthcare TeamMPH believes in setting high standards of
patient care in the private sector in Oman
and has been successful in doing so. The
qualified team of healthcare experts with
their diverse skills and experience bring
vision, integrity and excellence to the hospi-
tal. With over 20 senior full time consultants,
more than 70 senior independent consult-
ants, and various senior international con-
sultants, MPH caters to patients not only
from the Sultanate, but also from the GCC
and MENA regions.
Located in the scenic area of Bausher,
Muscat Private Hospital (MPH), owned
by Oman Medical Projects Company, is
the country’s premier private medical
facility, which opened its doors to the pub-
lic in October 2000. The hospital is managed
by United Medical Enterprises (UME), UK, an
international hospital management group
with more than 28 years experience in the
Middle East.
A Multi-specialty FacilityBeing the country’s only private hospital,
Muscat Private Hospital (MPH) offers first-
class out-patient and in-patient facilities in
specialties including Orthopaedics (includ-
ing all sub specialties), General Surgery, Spi-
nal Surgery, Cosmetic Surgery, cardiology
and cardiac surgery, dermatology, dentistry,
endocrinology and diabetology, nephrology,
internal medicine, psychiatry, rheumatology,
paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology. The
hospital is well equipped with a Diagnostic
Centre with high quality diagnostic imaging
services with C.T. Scan, Doppler ultrasound
and the latest MRI.
The Anaesthesia Department, Assisted Con-
ception Unit (IVF Dept), Emergency Services
and Pathology are other services which form
an integral part of MPH. The hospital is the
first private facility in Oman to undertake an
open heart surgery. This successful endeavour
means that patients now no longer require
to travel abroad for their medical emergen-
cies and that it can be taken care of locally in
the loving care of friends and family.
It is worthy to mention that MPH is a pur-
pose–built hospital unlike many other poly-
clinics and medical centres in the country.
MUSCAT PRIVATE HOSPITAL
Muscat Private Hospital is Oman’s premier multi-specialty hospital,
offering avante garde services
SUCCESSFUL ENDEAVOUR
SPONSORED FEATURE
Gary Dorahy, Country Manager – OMPC and Hospital Director, Muscat Private Hospital
beds by 30th June 2009. In February 2010
MPH expects to add a further 15 beds.
The Level 1 neo-natal intensive care unit is
being raised to Level 2 and Level 3 for com-
pliance to complicated cases. MPH is now
refurbishing its emergency room to handle
emergency cases like tertiary care hospital.
“Through all new developments shaping
up at the hospital we hope to help fulfill
the dreams of the people in the Sultanate.
As one of the leading hospitals in the coun-
try, MPH has the experience, latest therapies
and the caring, professional staff to enhance
a patient’s self-confidence. We at MPH also
pride ourselves on providing an unrivalled
aftercare service, to ensure every patient
receives the best possible standard in care
and results”, says Gary Dorahy, Country Man-
ager - OMPC and Hospital Director, MPH.
Apart from focusing on providing the best
medical facilities, MPH also realizes the
importance of quality service. Keeping this
in mind, MPH has trained its staff in cus-
tomer care skills in such a manner that the
healthcare team is responsive to the individ-
ual needs of the patients.
Doctors ensure that investigations and treat-
ments deliver best practice and patients
enjoy quality comfort and service in a con-
genial atmosphere.
As part of corporate social responsibility,
MPH organizes open evenings in the hospi-
tal, which is open to the general public. The
talks are conducted by specialists on various
health problems like obesity surgeries or
lifestyle modifications, to name a few.
Expansion PlanThe capacity of the hospital being full at the
moment, MPH is adding 10 more in-patient
Contact: (+968) 24583600website: www.muscatprivatehospital.come-mail: [email protected]
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201026
In the late eighties with very few Pri-
vate Clinics available in Muscat strong
need was felt for a reliable, high qual-
ity and affordable Medical Centre. Hatat
Polyclinic LLC a part of Assarain Group was
established in July 1999 to fill this void. Since
then Hatat Polyclinic LLC has grown in stat-
ure, significantly in expertise, equipments,
client base and range of services offered.
The Clinic has over 100000 active patient
records, which has steadily been on the rise.
The First StepFrom the beginning Hatat Polyclinic has
been offering OPD facilities in GP, Pediat-
rics, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dermatology,
Radiology, Physiotherapy and Dentistry.
Over the years OPD services were made
available in such specialized services as Car-
diology, Gastroenterology, Orthopedics, ENT,
Ophthalmology, Orthodontics, Neurology,
Endocrinology and the list is still growing.
Further, it has expanded by adding branches
at Azaiba and Sohar.
Polyclinic is very proud of its state of art Lab-
oratory and the Radiology Departments and
the services it offers to the patients. Radiol-
ogy Department has top of the range X-Ray
equipment capable of carrying out a vast
range of investigations with digital imag-
ing, storing and on line transmission. It has
a range of Ultrasound machines with 2D &
3D Facility and Color Dopplers. The labora-
tory is equipped with most modern equip-
ments for various investigations in Biochem-
istry, Hematology, serology, microbiology,
hormone assay, immunochemistry etc and
is designed to cater to the needs of a referral
laboratory in the private sector.
Clinical services are provided by over four-
teen competent in house physicians and
HATAT POLYCLINIC LLC
As per the audit in health, Hatat is one of the best polyclinics in Muscat
AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE
It owns a state -of -the –art radiology depart-
ment, laboratory facility are just two of them.
Always excelling in the services it offers,
Hatat Polyclinic has earned reputation for
quality control, transparency, business eth-
ics and honesty of purpose which are its core
strengths and confidence with which it deliv-
ers medical care. Hatat Polyclinic has rightly
been adjudged as “one of the best clinics” in
Oman, by the competent authority.
FuturoscopeHatat Polyclinic opened its Athaiba branch
in 2003 and one in Sohar in April 2009. Plan
for a hospital with centers of excellence in
all major specialties is on the anvil. Indoor
patient facility which has been a constant
demand from our esteemed clients is on the
drawing board and we plan to complete it
in time to open it to the public at the earliest
opportunity. It gains strength from its com-
mitment for the delivery of efficient, ethical
and affordable health care to its depend-
ent population and cherishes the abundant
goodwill of patients whom we were hon-
ored to care for.
SPONSORED FEATURE
numerous visiting consultants from Oman
and abroad. Medical team is ably supported
by a large team of qualified and experi-
enced Nurses, Radiographers, Laboratory
technicians, Ancillary staff and well staffed
and equipped physiotherapy department. It
offers a variety of medical schemes to suit the
corporate requirements and more than 300
corporate clients including those from the oil
industry are currently availing the services.
Areas of ExcellenceHatat Polyclinic has many feathers to its cap.
Contact: 24563641/42E-mail: [email protected]
Dr. D. Ashokan, Sr Specialist,Assistant Chief Medical Officer
27HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-2010
Atlas Star Medical Centre, Muscat, a
part of the reputed Atlas Jewellery
Group, under its chairman Mr. M.M.
Ramachandran, started its opera-
tions in mid-2004 with just five doctors on
board. Today, the centre, sprawling across
5000 sq.mt of area and spread over four
floors, provides patient care with interna-
tional standards and enjoys good patronage
and goodwill of its patients.
Atlas Star Medical Centre, Muscat, offers
expert medical attention in myriad disci-
plines: Internal Medicine, General Surgery,
Plastic Surgery, Urology, Psychiatry, Den-
tistry, Gynaecology, Orthopedics, ENT, ICU,
Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, Dermatology,
Radiology, Physiotherapy, Cardiology and
Neurosurgery.
What enable Atlas Star Medical Centre pro-
vide quality healthcare services are well-
qualified and experienced doctors, para-
medical staff, with specialized treatment
facilities, such as operation theatre with
C-Arm image intensifier, operating micro-
scope, maternity unit, ICU, 24-hour casualty,
in-patient facilities, accident and emergency
unit 24x7 and a full-fledged pharmacy.
Sophisticated labs, X-ray facilities and com-
prehensive cutting edge diagnostic equip-
ment ensure that all tests are carried out
quickly and effectively. A dedicated compu-
ter system, constantly upgraded, supports
the clinic’s competence. All laparoscopic
surgeries in orthopaedics, gynaecology, gen-
eral surgery and urology have recently been
started enabling various key-hole surgeries.
The centre now has a team of 27 qualified
and dedicated in-house doctors, seven con-
ATLAS STAR MEDICAL CENTRE
Atlas Star Medical Centre is the preferred choice of many top companies in
Oman to provide comprehensive healthcare services to their employees
THE STAR IN MEDICAL CARE
Contact: 24502332, 2450247824502536, 24502560
sultants with over
85 other health-
care professionals.
The physicians are
backed up by fully
qualified nurses
and ancillary staff.
With bed strength
of 60, patients are
offered a wide vari-
ety of in-patient rooms ranging from suite,
deluxe, private and semi-private, and general
wards. Sufficient space, built up as per Minis-
try of Health guidelines, is allotted to various
specialties so that patients can enjoy the best
comfort.
Atlas Star Medical Centre is the preferred
choice of many top companies in Oman to
provide comprehensive healthcare serv-
ices to their employees. Omanis comprise
over 45 per cent of out-patient strength, the
remaining being from the expatriate popu-
lation. Patients, who used to travel to India
for routine check up, have stopped doing so
as the centre provides them with affordable
facilities. “Almost all the routine surgeries are
being performed here on a regular basis,”
informs Dr Rohil Raghavan, Medical Director,
Atlas Star Medical Centre.
Future PerfectThe Atlas Group, which opened its first medi-
cal centre in January 2004 in Dubai, has been
able to extend its success to Muscat. Good
teamwork, caring and friendly ambience and
thorough professionalism in patient care
have enabled it to be upgraded to a hospi-
tal status. Oman healthcare system is grow-
ing. So is the Group. Due to an overwhelm-
ing demand from our patrons, a new medical
centre in Ruwi will be opened by the end of
the year.
Dr. Rohil RaghavanMedical Director
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201028
APOLLO MEDICAL CENTRE
Apollo offers service that has value for money at affordable rates which
has helped it to earn the goodwill and trust of Omanis and expatriates
INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE
With the prime objective of serving
the premium and middle income
segments of society at afford-
able rates, Apollo Medical Centre,
in association with Apollo Hospitals Group
India, was started in Oman in 2007. A fran-
chisee model, the centre receives expertise
from Apollo Hospitals Group, India, which has
10,000 beds across 43 hospitals worldwide.
The vision is to offer the best medical care
that is integrated, accessible and affordable
to improve health status of every individual.
Multi-specialty CentreAmong the major departments, Apollo’s car-
diology department has a state-of-the-art
ICU under the supervision of qualified doc-
tors, available round the clock. Treatment for
diabetes, hypertension, chest infection and
chronic diseases and ENT problems and pre-
ventive care are available here along with
surgeries for Hernia, Hydrocele and abdomi-
nal complications. The other departments are
gynaecology and obstetrics, plastic and cos-
metic orthopaedics, pediatrics and ophthal-
mology and radiology.
Apollo has recently started neurology serv-
ices. The centre also runs super specialty clin-
ics with expertise from Apollo India. Spine
surgeon, ortho surgeons visit Oman every
quarter to offer their services to people. The
bi-monthly liver clinic is just launched for
which hepatologists visit from India.
Very recently, Cyberknife helpline is launched
in Oman by Apollo Group. This system is
Asia’s first and the only robotic radio surgery
system designed to treat tumours with sub-
millimetre accuracy and is currently based at
Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, India. Apollo Medi-
cal Centre in Oman helps to liaison between
the patient and Apollo Medical Hospital.
Apollo’s Telemedicine service, the first of
its kind in the Sultanate in the private sec-
tor, patients can now seek expert opinion of
Apollo doctors across 100 telemedicine cen-
tres rather flying down to India. These, along
with Medical tourism activity are the value-
added services which Apollo offers to the
people in the Sultanate.
Rendering Quality ServiceApollo offers a comprehensive health checkup
packages for all age groups. In all its endeav-
ours, Apollo is guided by the needs of the
patient, creating an effective partnership with
a personal touch and care. Culling information,
sharing it clearly and effectively with patients is
important for Apollo healthcare professionals.
Expansion Since 2007, Apollo’s growth trajectory has
shown a distinct upward mobility. Apollo
now plans to have another centre which may
be a hub and spoke state-of-the-art model,
building feeding centres from this institute.
Right now Apollo is operating from Hamriya
with a clinic at Ghala.
“In 2009/10, you will hear more news about
Apollo Medical Centre. We are now one of the
best centres in offering maternity and surgi-
cal treatment. We have done more than 2000
surgeries and 500 deliveries with zero infec-
tion rate. This is one of the indications of a
good clinical performance. You trust us. We
deliver the best. In last two and half years, we
touched around 200,000 lives. This is a phe-
nomenal growth. We want to develop medi-
cal infrastructure and launch multi-specialty
clinics so that patients need not travel abroad
for the treatment,” says Sandeep Kumar, Chief
Operating Office, Apollo Medical Centre.
Sandeep Kumar, Chief Operating Officer, Apollo Medical Centre
Contact: 24787766
SPONSORED FEATURE
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201030
DENTAL C ARE
The man with a toothache thinks eve-
ryone happy whose teeth are sound,”
said George Bernard Shaw. Very true.
Enduring toothache is painful. Den-
tal concerns remain a major public health
issue in Oman, affecting about 80 per cent of
schoolchildren and the vast majority of adults.
Understandably, dental care is a serious busi-
ness in the Sultanate and dental treatment
here meets international standards.
Dental services that include evaluation,
diagnosis, prevention, treatment of diseases
and disorders of the oral cavity, maxillofacial
area, its adjacent structures and their impact
on the human body, are available in most of
the government hospitals in the Sultanate.
Though expensive, private dentistry in Oman
has attained a high standard. Through multi-
specialty centres, various practitioners offer
not only general checkups and basic dental
care, but also dental surgery and cosmetic
dentistry. Variations in treatment costs are
moderate. Many dentists own work rooms
and technicians who produce crowns,
bridges and prosthetics to speed up treat-
ment. Clinics have internationally trained
competent dentists, a few of whom are
Omanis, a majority Asian expats and some
hailing from Europe, who provide a wide
range of dental services with cutting edge
technology and equipment in combination
with state-of-the-art dental materials.
Restorative dentistry in particular, is enor-
mously benefitted by these develop-
ments. Aesthetic dentistry, with multiple
options, has reached a point of considerable
sophistication.
Quality dental careOman has attained a high standard in dentistry. A wide range of dental
services, with cutting edge technology and equipment in combination
with state-of-the-art dental materials, are available in the Sultanate
With the dental facilities offered at present,
even destroyed teeth can be reconstructed
with Root Canal Therapy and aesthetics
post procedures. The reconstructed teeth
are covered by metal-free ceramics crowns.
Post-reconstruction, the teeth attain a high
degree of strength and aesthetic quality
which was beyond imagination in the past.
Full dental insurance can be expensive. For
extensive cover, buying a ‘gold purchase’
health plan is a good option. Emergency fill-
ings and extractions are normally included
in standard health plans, but when it comes
to more specialized treatment involving
crowns, bridges and other prosthetics, the
costs escalate considerably.
Policyholders need to check that cover
includes x-rays and simple cleaning. Most
plans do not cover cosmetic procedures and
children’s orthodontics and even if they are,
then premiums are usually high. However,
most standard health insurance packages
do not cover dental costs barring emer-
gency treatment required as the result of an
accident. Most policies offer the option of
paying a higher premium to cover dentistry.
The Ministry of Health (in Five Year health
plan 2006-2010) foresees that bad dietary
habits owing to the growing consumption
of sugars and inadequate exposure to fluo-
ride is likely to generate dental troubles. The
good news is that the oral healthcare sce-
nario is changing for the better in Oman.
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201032
Group health insurance is a ben-
efit that many companies offer to
their employees. But what is group
health insurance? This type of cov-
erage is relatively easy to understand. A
group health insurance policy is one that
is not purchased by an individual in his/
her name. Instead, the employer shops
for group health insurance and then pur-
chases the coverage that they feel is best
from a financial and coverage point of
view for the company and the employees.
As an employer, you know benefits such as
health insurance can attract the best and
brightest to your company.
The problem with providing health insur-
ance for your workforce is the cost. Health
care costs are rising all for everyone – for
physicians, insurance companies, and con-
sumers. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t
any affordable options available. It’s actu-
ally easier to find affordable group health
insurance coverage than you might think. In
Oman, many insurance companies offer an
extensive range of group health insurance
covers to meet the different needs of com-
panies from across sectors and sizes.
When your employees are healthy, your
business is healthy. Many employees are
encouraged to do their job better if the
employer promises to give health insur-
The Right CoverGroup health insurance is the best way to ensure good health for your
employees without creating a major dent on your balance sheets
HEALTH INSUR ANCE
Photo Courtesy: Oman Medical College
ance. You see, health insurance is not a lux-
ury. It is vital especially in today’s times. You
can never really tell when you’re going to
get sick. If you have health insurance and
you’re covered, there is no need to worry
too much about the medical costs or bills.
Another reason is to reduce the turnover
of employees. Employees who have health
concerns often choose to stay in their job
because it will be impossible to obtain an
individual policy which covers pre-existing
conditions.
It’s important to promote healthy lifestyles
for your workforce. Apart from provid-
ing the group health insurance cover, offer
them memberships to the gyms and fitness
centers. Provide programmes for quitting
smoking, managing weight, and managing
chronic illness such as asthma or diabetes.
Most important, lead by example – practice
healthier habits yourself.
Another key to keeping a healthier work-
force is preventive care. Encourage your
team to go in for routine doctor’s check-ups
and physicals. Preventive care can detect
and treat illnesses before they turn into seri-
ous and expensive health conditions. By
exploring different group health insurance
plans from multiple leading health insur-
ance companies, you’ll be able to compare
rates and benefits to find the right coverage
for your business.
Photo Courtesy: Oman Medical College
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201034
Group health, one of the most com-
mon types of insurance for illness as
well as accident, is gaining ground in
the Gulf region, including in Oman.
Among responsible employers, group
health is becoming an increasingly impor-
tant part of the package to retain employ-
ees in the long term. Falcon Insurance Com-
pany SAOC is a foremost provider of this
cover and developed, in conjunction with
globally recognized professional reinsurers,
a comprehensive group health package at a
very competitive price, with NextCare being
its Third Party Administrator (TPA) for settle-
ment of claims worldwide.
For its policyholders, Falcon offers a carry-a-
card cashless facility; the policyholder only
has to show the card at approved clinics to
obtain treatment. All that has to be paid by
the policyholder is the agreed deductible or
excess. Everything else will be free of cost
to the cardholder up to the agreed limits in
the policy, provided the claim is admissible.
Optional cover is given for optical or dental
care and maternity benefits for a small load-
ing on the basic premium.
Falcon prefers cashless facilities to cash
reimbursement. “With these cashless cards,
we can appoint a network of selected good
hospitals or clinics with quality controls via
our TPA provider to top it all”, says Pradeep
Gulhane, Marketing Manager, Falcon Insur-
ance Company.
Falcon has in place safeguards against
exaggerated claims or treatment costs.
Analysis and statistics provided by its TPA
enable it to deal with such claims with
FALCON INSURANCE COMPANY SAOC
Falcon Insurance has developed, in conjunction with globally-recognized
professional reinsurers, a very comprehensive group health package
COLLECTIVE HEALTHCARE OPTION
SPONSORED FEATURE
professional expertise helping to keep
premiums competitive for the benefit of
policyholders.
“The advantages of insuring with Falcon are
professionalism, proper cover, and our atti-
tude of being in business of paying claims
and not denying them. We know what our
product is: Claims. We would like to think
of ourselves as user-friendly. We may be a
relatively new name but if you add up the
experience in Oman of our Management
it comes to 100 years between them. We
do have a depth of local knowledge here
unmatched by many of our competitors”,
says Jan Wright, General Manager, Falcon
Insurance Company.
Contact: 24660902 / 24660950
The advantages of insuring with Falcon are
professionalism, proper cover, and our attitude
of being in business of paying claims and not
denying them– Jan Wright ACII, Chartered Insurer, General Manager
35HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-2010
At first sight the insurance category
in Oman is a complex one, with a
multitude of different firms, many
targeting a particular segment of
the market, jostling for market share while
navigating a tangle of different rules and
regulations. The Omani insurance market is
growing at the rate of 18-20 per cent, the
Health segment is now being seen as a huge
opportunity because of its low penetration.
National Life & General Insurance Company is
the undisputed market leaders in Life Insur-
ance with a market share of 65% in the Sul-
tanate. Their product offerings in Life & Medi-
cal are still the best available in the market.
“We have come a long way in designing
products suiting the local market, custom-
izing it to fit every stratum of society. Over
the years we have strengthened across five
fundamental pillars of business- Product
Design, Revenue Models, Operational Effi-
ciencies, Compliance & Best Practices and
Change Management.” said Mr. S Venkatach-
alam- CEO- National life & General Insurance
Company SAOC.
Being the largest Life Insurer in Oman,
National Life & General Insurance Company
SAOC is offering a comprehensive range
of innovative health insurance products to
facilitate better healthcare protection for
all groups of people under the Corporate
Schemes by enhancing accessibility and
affordability. Their Life & Medical division is
currently leading in the group health insur-
ance market covering the life and medi-
cal needs of more than 65000 employees
spread across 400 corporate entities.
NATIONAL LIFE & GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY SAOC
Being the largest Life Insurer in Oman, National Life & General Insurance
Company SAOC is offering a comprehensive range of innovative health
insurance products to facilitate better healthcare protection
INNOVATIVE COVER
Group Insurance Plans from National Life &
General Insurance enable you to effortlessly
provide your employees with both, savings
and security. They have tie ups with over
100 network hospitals providing cashless
treatment facility to employees under their
group schemes.
Our vision is “To provide affordable and
innovative health insurance solutions to
individual in Oman- Local Citizens and Expa-
triates and become their first-choice partner
in positive health. We are today the No-1
preferred health insurer to most corporate
entities and our experience and learn-
ing in the management of this business
will strengthen our approach to the retail
market with products that will have differ-
entiated features / benefits / service offer-
ings that reflect our philosophy of wellness
and prevention. It will be our endeavor to
address the entire healthcare spectrum i.e.
Outpatient products, Long term care plans
and the like. Innovations will also expand
to include customized offerings for various
market segments and geographies.” added
Mr. S Venkatachalam.
National Life & General has pioneered many
firsts ever since their inception in Oman,
some of them include- First Insurer to launch
Bancassurance in Oman in partnership with
Bank Muscat, First to be Rated by AM Best
Co & British Standards and ISO Certification,
First to Step up and open a branch in Dubai,
First to win Oman Web awards- 4 years in
a row and the First Insurance company to
launch Online Range of product available @
www.nlicgulf.com
Contact: 24792333Website: www.nlicgulf.com
S Venkatachalam, CEO, National life & General Insurance Company SAOC
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201036
SPONSORED FEATURE
OMAN QATAR INSURANCE COMPANY SAOC
Oman Qatar Insurance Company is in its fifth year of operations in Oman
and this year it is adding medical insurance to its range of offerings
FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH
Oman Qatar Insurance Company is
part of the Qatar Insurance Group
which is one of the leading provid-
ers of medical insurance products
and services in Qatar and in the UAE. Oman
Qatar Insurance Company is in its fifth year
of operations in Oman and this year we are
adding medical insurance to our range of
offerings. We intend to leverage the expe-
rience of the Qatar Insurance Group to
become a first class medical insurance com-
pany in Oman.
We are currently designing a new suite of
medical insurance products to satisfy the
needs of the Oman market both in terms
of coverage and pricing. We have studied
the market carefully and identified what
our customers want. We will be provid-
ing tiered products that range from basic
cover at affordable prices to covers on a par
with international medical insurance pro-
grams. These products will meet the varying
requirements of smaller local enterprises
and multi-national corporate customers.
Initially our products will be aimed at the
corporate buyer and will supplement our
other employee benefits offerings. This
aligns with our motto “Behind Every Suc-
cessful Business”. The tiered approach to
product development will allow us to tailor
a package of covers to fully meet each cus-
tomer’s requirements.
We will work in partnership with one or
more designated third party administra-
tors who will manage all aspects of medi-
cal claims on our behalf to agreed service
standards. This arrangement will allow us to
access a wide and comprehensive network
of healthcare providers and our customers
will benefit from their expertise in claims
handling and speedy claims settlement. We
believe that this is the best way to achieve
optimum service for our customers.
We recognize that good health is important
to all of us and when we are sick we want to
be treated quickly and effectively. We aim to
provide medical insurance that recognizes
these expectations and will be there to sup-
port the front line treatment in the best pos-
sible manner.
Geoffrey Blofeld, Chief Executive Officer
Contact: 24700798www.qatarinsurance.com
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201038
Positive Health
Physical fitness is not only one of the
most important keys to a healthy
body, it is the basis of dynamic and
creative intellectual activity, said J.F.
Kennedy. In today’s world, physical fitness is
modern man’s answer to the various chal-
lenges and pressures of the contemporary
world. Fitness equipment are now available
for a regular aerobic and resistance workout
along with stretching exercises for flexibility.
Going to fitness centres or setting up gym at
home for maintaining a health regimen is the
modern trend.
A treadmill or a walker is one of the most
popular gym equipment, ideal for overall
muscle development and blood circulation.
Available in various designs and price ranges,
it comes with multiple safety features.
Stationary bikes, as the name suggests, are
immobile and meant for stationary exercises.
These convenient machines provide the
benefits of riding a bicycle outdoors. Good
for cardio-vascular workout, these fitness
devices, available in various models, are con-
venient for home gym, too, as they occupy
minimum space.
Simulating stair climbing, steppers provide
users with intense aerobic workouts, help-
ing them to get thighs and hips in shape. The
FITNESS EQUIPMENT
The weight lifting
equipment for muscle
building routines are
popular among the
young and middle
age. Not just for
strength or resistance,
they are also in
demand for creating
a lean physique and
stronger overall bone
mass.Going to fitness
centres is the modern
trend now
pedals move in an elliptical motion which
gives the feel of climbing a rotating staircase.
A variety of aerobic workouts are possible
on this fitness device. These steppers come
with numerous enhanced features such as a
hydraulic mechanism for smooth operation
and computerized counters to display time,
heartbeat and even the amount of calories
burnt.
Rowing machines, technically known as an
ergometer, emulate rowing in a boat and
are good for full body, heavy-duty workouts.
Used by anyone irrespective of age, they are
also good for burning calories. It is a device
to build the upper body, shoulders, triceps,
biceps and abs.
The cross trainer is a hybrid device contain-
ing a mix of an exercise bike, stepper and
treadmill, facilitating an easy workout, provid-
ing an even tone up. With enhanced features
like digital hand sensors and interactive heart
rate monitoring, these machines provide an
option of customising the programs to fit the
users’ needs.
Ergonomically correct, stationary bikes, step-
pers and rowing machines can be used by
any age group as they place little stress on
joints. Working out on these equipment
can ensure an effective fat burning workout
regime.
The weight lifting equipment for muscle
building routines are popular among the
young and middle age. Not just for strength
or resistance, they are also in demand for
creating a lean physique and stronger over-
all bone mass. Many think that barbells and
dumbbells are one and the same. Barbells
are larger pieces of weight lifting equipment,
engineered to work larger muscle groups
whereas dumbbells recreate the same,
spreading out the weight. In effect, dumb-
bells are the smaller versions of the barbells.
The barbells add the extra weight needed for
resistance training. Leg press and lateral pull-
down machine are the other muscle building
and toning equipment to pack on inches of
lean, shredded muscle mass.
Originally used only by professional body-
builders, multi-gyms have now become one
of the most common forms of fitness equip-
ment used in households. They are intended
for those who cannot visit a professional
gym.
Equipped with chins, pulleys, weights and
padded boards for workouts, most multi-
gyms can easily be installed in a standard-
sized room and be quickly dismantled when
not in use. However, before buying home
fitness equipment, it is imperative you set
your fitness goals and affordability, as this
will determine what you buy. And this buy
will be important for getting that toned and
sculpted physique!
Michaelangelo sculpted David
to symbolize the strength and
beauty of human body. Centuries
down, the appeal of fitness en
masse is more pronounced today. Come to
Oman, you will find that keeping fit along
with being in shape is the mantra of modern
Omanis as well as of the expatriates. And to
make it real, fitness centres are mushroom-
ing in the heart of the cities as well as in
the interiors of the Sultanate. Exercise has
become a must for the quick-paced life that
we have today.
Health clubs and fitness centres in Grand
Hyatt, Al Bustan and other hotels offer an
ambiance suitable for the relaxed exerciser
interested in general fitness. These facilities
have a huge variety of top-end equipment,
weights, fitness classes and gymnasiums,
and also swimming, etc. To enjoy socializ-
ing during work out, this is the right place.
Health clubs generally include a swimming
pool, a spa, saunas and steam rooms, beauty
rooms, treatment rooms, various fitness and
relaxation classes and personal training, if
required. And when the weather turns hot,
one can always head to the pool - not just
for a swim, but also for something a little
more exotic like Aqua Tai Chi or Aquacise.
In general, in-house health clubs and fit-
ness centres tend to be expensive, offer-
ing more amenities, with an orientation
towards service. Quintessentially they cater
to an elitist, affluent clientele. Walk down
the commercial areas of Ruwi, the residen-
tial areas of Qurum or the ministerial area
of Al Khuwair, the city abounds with fitness
centres to suit customer’s budget, locations,
and expectations from a facility. They offer
the opportunity to improve the health, fit-
ness quotient of the people who live here.
Regular cardio exercise, resistance training
or immunity building classes, stretching or
yoga are essential parts of any programme
in these fitness centres. One can have access
to swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam room and
Sauna in these fitness centres for a reason-
able price.
Gyms aim primarily at bodybuilding or
weightlifting, meant for those who are look-
Keeping fit along with being in shape is the
mantra of modern Oman. Fitness centres are
coming up not only in the heart of the cities,
but also in the interiors of Oman
ing for a good basic workout. Aerobics and
fitness sessions are essential components
of most gyms in Muscat. Overall, they cater
to a younger, workout crowd. Over the past
few years, personal training in gyms across
the West has entered the mainstream. Even
a few years ago, personal training was seen
as the preserve of celebrities or athletes in
the West, but today it has entered the main-
stream and is available for all and sundry.
In Oman, however, personal training is just
catching up.
Women generally have a different approach
to workout programs – less of muscle build
and power, more of toning and aerobic
fitness.
Losing weight and building a body was often
thought of as the preserve of behemoths
striving to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger
or Hrithik Roshan. But today the concept of
remaining fit has transcended class barrier
and reached the cross-section of society. Fit-
ness centres are coming up not only in the
heart of the cities, but also in the interiors of
Oman. When people talk about fitness cen-
tres, the options seem almost unending.
FITNESS CENTRES
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201040
Established in 1990 by Al Busaidi broth-
ers, Muscat Sports today is one of the
biggest distributors of sports goods
in Oman in both retail and wholesale
sectors. With the opening of the Al Araimi
showroom in Qurum, the company’s visibil-
ity helped it to move one octave higher for
positioning itself as a leading sports mer-
chandising company in Oman. Today it has
three other showrooms at prime commer-
cial locations, the Ruwi showroom, Al Bahja
showroom at Markaz Al Bahja and Safeer
Hypermarket at Azaiba.
ProductsMuscat Sports is the sole agent and exclusive
distributor for globally reputed brand names
in Oman. They are: Speedo (USA) for swim
wear, training aids and accessories; Stringray,
the original sun protection clothing com-
pany from Australia; Umbro (U.K.), special-
izing in soccer team wear equipment; New
Balance, a leading brand in athletics for seri-
ous runners; Lotto Italian Sports Design, the
world renowned soccer and tennis brand;
Puma Austrian sports design, the well-known
soccer and tennis brand; Asics, the technically
superior athletic footwear,etc.
Muscat Sports is also a wholesale supplier
of these brands to gymnasiums or various
sports activities in Government Institutions,
sports associations, PDO, hotels, clubs, rec-
reational centers, educational institutions,
companies like Saud Bahwan, Oman Poly-
propelene, Sohar Aluminium, Oman Refin-
ery and others, and hypermarkets like LuLu,
Carrefour, Sultan Centre, Safeer Hypermar-
ket, among other major shopping centers in
MUSCAT SPORTS
Muscat Sports today is one of the biggest distributors of sports goods
in Oman in both retail and wholesale sectors. It is the sole agent and
exclusive distributor for globally reputed brand names in Oman
ON THE RIGHT TRACK
SPONSORED FEATURE
Oman. The company has a wide network of
distributors in major towns in the interiors
of Oman, supplying merchandise to sports
shops in Salalah, Sur and Sohar.
In-house Brand Muscat Sports floated its own in-house brand
called Marrma in 2006. The company makes
footballs and sports wear under the brand
name. Apart from selling them in its outlets,
the company supplies these to local foot-
ball clubs. Quality standards and affordable
prices make these products a popular choice
for local clubs. The company entered into an
agreement with Oman Football Association
in 2006 as its sole supplier for all the require-
ments of the team like sports wear, free of
cost. The agreement gives Muscat Sports the
right to use the Oman football team’s logo on
T-shirts and to sell them. The company sees
this as brand building exercise and a contri-
bution to the national team.
To bring Oman’s reputed football players
under one canopy and raise awareness for
sports, Muscat Sports is organizing Oman 5-
Aside Football Tournament annually. As part
of social responsibility, the company has
offered job opportunities to players in Mus-
cat Sports. Expansion being on the anvil, the
company is opening a branch in Sohar this
year-end.
Contact: 24707623/24784509www.muscatsportsom.com
Ahmed Al Busaidi, Managing Director, Muscat Sports
41HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-2010
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201042
SPORTS SOLUTIONS LLC
Sports Solutions is the sole distributor of Techno-gym, the second biggest
gym equipment company in the world
CREATIVE FITNESS SOLUTIONS
SPONSORED FEATURE
Rising awareness about the merits
of a fitness regimen is encouraging
people to install fitness equipment
at their residences. To serve its cus-
tomers in a holistic manner, Muscat Sports
has floated a new company called Sports
Solutions in 2007 at Hamriya.
Representing the stellar brand Techno-gym
from Italy, the company provides a total
turnkey solution for your house to install eve-
rything from flooring to fitness equipment
like treadmill, bikes, cross trainers, wave, top
excite and other cardio and strength devices,
representing reputed global brands. Also, the
company helps to renovate or redevelop a
home gym for fitness buffs. “Whenever we
are giving proposal to our clients, we are giv-
ing Total Solution. A layout is given to the
clients with 3-D drawings for their perusal,”
informs Zaman Quoraishi, project manager,
Sports Solutions.
The company has also done up the gyms of
hotels like the Al Bustan Palace, The Chedi,
Sheraton, Park Inn, Crowne Plaza, both in
Salalah and Muscat, among others. The
cost of a gym can range anywhere from
RO10,000 to RO200,000. The company has
also installed fitness centres at PDO, Seeb
Stadium, Oman Footbal Association and
Ministry of Defence.
Seamless sport grounds At Manah Recreation Centre, Nizwa, Sports
Solutions has done its biggest outdoor
installation job in Oman by installing Court-
sol flooring on the sports ground, sprawl-
ing across 10,000 sq metre. Courtsol Co
LTD, France is one of the four most globally
renowned sports brands, offering a range
of outdoor and indoor sport ground coat-
ings. Highly approved by all the sports fed-
erations, Courtsol provides Sports Solutions
with technical and commercial assistance
for the optimum use of Courtsol flooring,
known for perfect evenness, high mechani-
cal resistance, longevity, low glare in sunny
weather and easy maintenance.
Sports Solutions has installed flooring for a
bowling alley in Manah Recreation Centre.
Whether it is fitness equipment or flooring
or jacuzzis or lockers or SIUS AG’s electronic
scoring system for sport shooting, all are
provided by Sports Solutions. Quality and
one-stop-shop solutions are the hallmark of
the company. Specialized in wooden floor-
ing, Merry Sports Grounds products from
China also enjoy a good presence in Oman.
Sports Solutions has installed reputed Pavi-
gym polymer floorings from Spain in PDO.
Specially used for aerobic studios and chil-
dren’s playing area.
Pavigym is more than just sports flooring,
because of its special features. Here, jumping
impacts are absorbed by micro air bubbles
that adapt to the foot, lowering the fatigue
and injury risk. It is a defined space, enabling
improved performance and enjoyment dur-
ing a healthy workout. The surface of Pavi-
gym facilitates fluid and safe movements in
fitness and cardio activities. Its interlocking
systems give this flooring more flexibility
which can be removed and fixed any time
and is as sturdy as any other flooring.
Contact: 2470 4204Website: www.sportssolutionllc.com
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201044
In response to the growing popularity of
alternative therapies, Oman’s Ministry
of Health, in recent times, has initiated
steps to tighten its grip over the approval
of herbal medicines. All herbal medicine
importers henceforth must be licensed by
the Directorate General of Pharmaceuti-
cal Affairs and Drug Control (DGPA&DC). In
addition, herbal products will need to be
approved by the DGPA&DC. To be in line
with the regulatory development across the
Gulf, the Gulf Co-operation Council, in all
earnestness, is to draft a regional law to reg-
ulate alternative and traditional medicines.
The herbal medicine that is alternative ther-
apy today was the mainstream healing prac-
tice centuries back. With the advent of mod-
ern medicine in the 19th century, alternative
medicine has become a therapy “that does
not fall within the realm of conventional
medicine.”
Alternative medicine practices are diverse
in their basics as in their methodologies.
Commonly mentioned examples include
naturopathy, chiropractic, herbalism, tradi-
tional Chinese medicine, Unani, Ayurveda,
meditation, yoga, siddha, biofeedback, hyp-
nosis, homeopathy, acupuncture, and diet-
based therapies, in addition to a gamut of
other practices. Frequently grouped with
complementary medicine, which generally
refers to the same interventions when used
in conjunction with mainstream techniques,
it is called complementary and alternative
medicine, or CAM. Alternative medicine,
however, varies from country to country.
The Cochrane Complementary Medi-
cine Field says: “Complementary medicine
includes all such practices and ideas which
are outside the domain of conventional
medicine in several countries and defined
by its users as preventing or treating illness,
or promoting health and well-being. These
practices complement mainstream medi-
cine by 1) contributing to a common whole,
2) satisfying a demand not met by conven-
tional practices, and 3) diversifying the con-
ceptual framework of medicine.”
Jurisdictions where alternative medical prac-
tices are sufficiently widespread may license
and regulate them, as in Oman. A strong
regulatory system, according to Oman
Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Report Q4
The alternative approachIn Oman, Reiki, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, yoga
and ayurveda are gaining ground as many Omanis and expatriates
are drawn to the benefits of the alternative approach to healthcare
Commonly mentioned examples include naturopathy, chiropractic,
homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, Unani, Ayurveda, etc.
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES & THER APIES
2008, will be beneficial to the development
of alternative medicines market. This may
impact sales of OTC drugs in the short-term
as unlicensed drugs are pulled from the mar-
ket. In Oman, Reiki, Chinese medicine, acu-
puncture, homeopathy, yoga and ayurveda
are gaining ground as many Omanis and
expatriates are drawn to the benefits of the
alternative approach to healthcare.
Ayurveda which in Sanskrit means ‘the
knowledge of life’ is the traditional health
science of India which is believed to be the
oldest branch of medicine in the world. It
is an intricate system of healing that origi-
nated in India around 600 BC.
The system of medicine stresses on the pre-
vention of body ailments in addition to cur-
ing and rejuvenating them. Ayurveda covers
eight divisions include paediatrics, gynae-
cology, general medicine, toxicology among
others. People who are taking medicines
for chronic diseases and want to go for an
alternative therapy, or do not want to take
mainstream medicines but enjoy the good
effects of the indigenous system support it
are its takers.
Though the MoH is lending a helping hand
for the alternative medicines, they have to
struggle with their mainstream counter-
parts. Doctors feel a lot of groundwork has
to be done to raise the level of awareness
for alternative therapies among people in
general.
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201046
Ayurveda is an intricate system of heal-
ing that originated in India thousands
of years ago. It owes its sustenance
to its holistic approach towards ail-
ments and rejuvenation of body. In Oman, All
Season Ayurveda Clinic was started in 2003 at
Al Khuwair. People from different walks of life
then came for treatment of arthritis, paralysis,
allergies and diabetes.
Today, the clinic is known for therapies and
special packages and consists of 2 doctors
and 5 therapists. Whether it is the traditional
Ayurvedic therapies like Abhyangam and
Elakkizhi or special packages for detoxifica-
tion of the body, these therapies take care
of rejuvenation of the body through herbal
powder, oils and medicines.
Very effective for obesity, Udvarthanam is
the name of the massage with herbal pow-
ders that burn subcutaneous fat, strengthen
muscles and tone up skin texture. Apart
from this, special therapies are available
for spondilitis, paralysis, arthritis, dementia,
trigeminal neuralgia and other degenera-
tive diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s,
motor neuron diseases, etc.
Among the special packages, Panchakarma
therapy for body purification is a five- fold
cleansing method that includes therapeutic
emesis, purgation (virechana), nasal purge
(nasya), therapeutic enema (vasthy) and
bloodletting. It is a detoxification therapy,
completely ridding one’s body of deadly
toxins and ailments leading to rejuvena-
tion of the body. The medicines contain all
contemporary anti-oxidants. Apart from
this, All Season Ayurveda Clinic offers yoga
ALL SEASON AYURVEDA CLINIC
Among the special packages, Panchakarma therapy for body purification
is a five- fold cleansing method completely ridding one’s body of deadly
toxins and ailments
TOWARDS WHOLESOME LIFE
SPONSORED FEATURE
practices, beauty treatment, stress relief pro-
grammes and treatment that help balanc-
ing fat metabolism, eye problems, sleep dis-
turbance and headache.
Both expatriates and Omanis pay visit to All
Season Ayurveda Clinic, the Asian expatriates
being more in number. Here doctors take a
holistic approach towards patient care. Once
the case history is known, along with per-
sonal habits and diets, a case analysis of the
patient is done. In Ayurveda it says, the root
cause should be traced without which treat-
ment cannot be complete. Here many would
come to take a second opinion to satisfy a
demand not met by conventional practices.
The centre imports quality medicine from
Vaidyaretnam Ousadhasala, an ISO certifiied
company in India, at reasonable rates.
Circle of trust All Season Ayurveda Clinic has a network
with homeopathy and mainstream doctors
who occasionally refer their cases to the
Clinic for alternative therapies.
Though the ministry is lending all its sup-
port for more Ayurvedic clinics, the aware-
ness for alternative therapies like Ayurveda
is generally low.
Keen to open centres outside Oman, Dr San-
jaiyan, founder of All Season Ayurveda Clinic,
says, ”I find it very important to spread aware-
ness for yoga and old school of medicine,
which will help people to modify their life-
style to lead healthy and wholesome life.”
Contact: 2447 5280 GSM: 9969 3305, 9803 4792Website: www.drsajjay.com
Dr R. Sanjaiyan, Ayurveda & Yoga Consultant
AH
1791
21.
4.09
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201048
EYE C ARE
Eyes are windows to the world. They are
the vital sense organs that connect
us to our environment and people
around us. At the end of three dec-
ades, eye care services in Oman have come
of age.
Eye care here is offered by trained phy-
sicians in all the Primary Health Centers
(PHCs). Ophthalmologists attached to MoH
institutes offer state-of-the-art eye care to
patients, a number of which include facili-
ties for eye surgeries and hospitalization.
Eye surgeries are also performed in Sultan
Qaboos University, Armed Forces Hospital
and private hospitals.
Eye patients are treated in polyclinics with
ophthalmology units. Qualified opticians
assist ophthalmologists both in institu-
tions as well as in private optical shops to
cater visual aids. It is mention-worthy that
health initiatives and improved education
and socio-economic status are instrumen-
tal in near-elimination of trachoma-induced
blindness in Oman.
The WHO recommended eye healthcare
centre of the Department of Non-Com-
municable Disease Control, which acts as
a unit for prevention of blindness. It liaises
with all eye care service centres and assists
National Eye Healthcare Committee in for-
mulating national policies and monitor-
ing their implementation. In last five years,
Oman has progressed both for the low-
vision disabled and blind and pledges to
eliminate avoidable blindness by 2020. The
WHO considers Oman as a model for many
health programme implementations. One
of them is the Prevention of Blindness Pro-
gramme initiated in 1983.
Both in the cities and rural areas in Oman,
ophthalmologists perform state-of-the-
art procedures like lens implantation and
Phako emulsification for removing cata-
ract, the leading cause of blindness world-
wide. Laser treatment for diabetic retinopa-
thy, a complication of diabetes leading to
visual impairment if not treated on time, is
available in more than seven institutes in
Oman. Also a regular eye check up post-40
for glaucoma-detection is recommended
by doctors.
The National Committee is leaving no stones
unturned to train up mid-level eye-care per-
sonnel like refractionists, ophthalmic nurses,
ophthalmic assistants, counselors in eye
care and low vision therapists. Postgraduate
residency programme include specialty of
ophthalmology.
In the implementation front, while Oman
has adopted a low vision care programme
for children, MoH has taken steps to further
improve eye care of contact lens wearers.
In many clinics, refractive surgery is con-
ducted to treat Omanis, so that they no
longer need to wear eyeglasses. Muscat
Eye Laser Center, one of the few institutes
in the world offering this new treatment,
has recently introduced a revolutionary
treatment for patients with eye conditions
involving the cornea. This new treatment
modality is called C3-R for the treatment
of Keratoconus, a corneal condition preva-
lent in Oman and the Gulf regions. Stud-
ies have shown so far that patients who
underwent this treatment never had any
collateral effects such as formation of scars,
cataract, and damage to the other parts
of the eye.
New frontiers in eye care
In last five years,
Oman has progressed
both for the low-
vision disabled and
blind and pledges to
eliminate avoidable
blindness by 2020
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201050
Keratoconus (from Greek kerato-
horn, cornea; and konos cone).
It is a common bilateral corneal condition
in the Gulf Countries. In the general popu-
lation worldwide, it occurs in about 0.15%
to 0.16% or in more than 1 in a 1000 peo-
ple. Although, there is no statistical analysis
done regarding the prevalence of Kerato-
conus in the Arabic population, there have
been anecdotal reports about its high prev-
alence in the Gulf.
For several years, it has been our clinic’s mis-
sion to advance the awareness and treat-
ment of keratoconus through education,
information, research, and support. We serve
individuals diagnosed with keratoconus and
their families. If you have keratoconus, or have
a relative or friend with keratoconus, this edi-
torial will help provide you with the informa-
tion you need to better understand this eye
condition and its impact on daily life.
What is keratoconus? And how we treat it?
It is a degenerative disorder of the eye in
which structural changes within the cornea
cause it to thin and change to a more coni-
cal shape than its normal gradual curve.
Keratoconus can cause substantial distor-
tion of vision with multiple images, streak-
ing and sensitivity to light all often reported
by the patient. It is typically diagnosed in
the patient’s adolescent years and attains its
most severe state in the twenties and thir-
ties. If afflicting both eyes, the deterioration
in vision can affect the patient’s ability to
drive a car or read normal print.
It is very important to have routine eye
examinations, when it is in the family his-
MUSCAT EYE LASER CENTER
Dr. Maria C. Arbelaez MD of Muscat Eye Laser Centre talks about the
specialised services offered to treat Keratoconus eye disease
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY
INTERVIE W
Keratoconus cornea
Diagnostic tests for Keratoconus: Corneal Topography, Scheimpflug Analysis ( Pentacam, Galilei)
tory, I would really recommend to have
regular check ups and perform the rou-
tine tests which includes the corneal maps
(corneal topography), thickness analysis
(scheimpflug analysis) and so on.
Are there certain stages for the kerato-
conus or is it just a disease that occurs
51HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-2010
suddenly in the cornea? And how can we
treat these stages?
Yes, there are different stages of kerato-
conus and unless patients’ have regular
check-ups we cannot know at what stage
they are at. Here in this part of the world the
keratoconus appears with more severity in
young people, mainly in the ones who have
a family history. After all the diagnostic tests,
accordingly with the status we decide the
treatments. In early cases, corrective lenses
are effective enough to allow the patient to
continue to drive legally and likewise func-
tion normally. However, despite the disease’s
unpredictable course, keratoconus can
often be successfully managed with little or
no impairment to the patient’s quality of life.
Early cases with no big visual compromise
do very well with cross linking.
Cases of status 2 to 3
respond to the intracorneal
rings, we use the two types
available accordingly with
the case (kerarings or intacs)
followed by cross linking 6
months after. In more severe
cases we perform lamellar keratoplasty (par-
tial corneal transplant) assisted with laser. In
very advanced cases the only option is a full
corneal transplant.
What are the reasons behind keratoconus?
Are they genetic or gained by certain
circumstances?
Keratoconus is the most common dystro-
phy of the cornea, affecting a good number
of young patients in this part of the world.
The exact cause of keratoconus is uncer-
tain, but has been associated with detri-
mental enzyme activity within the cornea.
A genetic link seems likely, as the incidence
rate is greater if a family member has been
diagnosed. The progression of keratoconus
is rapid in patients of a young age.
Can we protect our eyes from Keratoconus?
And how possible is that?
Yes we can, the earlier the diagnosis the bet-
ter the results of the treatment, so regular
visits to an eye doctor will be beneficial.
Is there any advance technology for treat-
ment of Keratoconus in the world? What
are they and what is the goal of each
treatment?
Before, the options were contact lenses,
and when it was too advanced a full corneal
transplant that lasted up to 15 years and
always had the risk of a rejection. Now we
have different choices, less invasive for the
different stages of keratoconus, with the aim
to stop its progression.
Does Muscat Eye laser Centre have these
technologies for the treatment of Kera-
toconus? What are the benefits and
outcomes?
We have all possible treatments at Muscat
Eye Laser Center. Starting from the non sur-
gical option as contact lenses, following with
the less invasive treatments as intracorneal
rings; were the tunnels to place the rings are
created with a femtosecond laser. Intrastro-
mal corneal ring segments are implantable
precision devices for the correction of sur-
face irregularities and reduction of refrac-
tive errors associated to keratoconus and
other corneal ecstasies. Intracorneal rings
were specially designed for the treatment
of corneal ectatic disorders, providing cor-
neal regularization and refractive effects.
The implantation is intended to improve the
patient’s visual acuity, reduce or eliminate
the refractive error and stabilize the cornea,
avoiding or delaying the need for corneal
transplantation. We are the only Center in
Oman that provides this technology. Colla-
gen cross linking to freeze the cornea and
stop the keratoconus progression. Lamellar
or partial keratoplasty assisted with laser,
were recovery is faster and almost with no
possibility of rejection. Only a few places in
the world have this technology available.
Does Muscat Eye Laser centre have any
specific role in training other international
doctors to know these kinds of treatments
for keratoconus and get the benefits , as
now you have the scientific and practical
experience in Keratoconus cases? And
what is the doctor’s response?
I have been involved on training and teach-
ing about all of these techniques at inter-
national meetings and conferences, and
we have a lot of doctors visiting us to learn
about the techniques and the good results.
With the high incidence of keratoconus we
have a lot of experience on its treatment, as
Muscat Eye Laser Center has been a pioneer
on vision correction with laser. Keratoconus
treatment advanced a lot in recent years and
now with the femtosecond laser, the ring
insertions are extremely accurate and easy
for the patients, the other revolutionary sur-
gical technique is the lamellar keratoplasty
assisted by laser, with a thickness map of
the cornea the laser performs an intelligent
removal of the cornea leaving a very even
posterior surface to place the partial donor
tissue in a very accurate and simplified way.
In lamellar keratoplasty the healthy inner
layer of the patient’s cornea is retained and
not sacrificed (this layer is called the endothe-
lium and is the most vital layer of the cornea
responsible for maintaining the corneal clar-
ity). Only the outer 80 -90% of the cornea is
replaced with healthy donor tissue. The other
advantage of lamellar keratoplasty is that as
the inner layer is retained, the immune cells
of the body do not recognize the outer donor
tissue as being foreign, hence there is no risk
of endothelial rejection with lamellar kerato-
plasty, unlike a full thickness graft wherein
steroid therapy has to be continued for years
to prevent graft rejection episodes.
We already have a few publications on cross
linking and intracorneal rings with a very
exhaustive analysis of the cornea response
in all aspects.
Crosslinking treatment
Lamellar Laser Deep Anterior Keratoplasty to treat Keratoconus (partial Corneal Transplant)
Intrastromal corneal ring for keratoconus
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201052
In this scorching climate in the Sultanate,
the best way to keep ourselves refreshed,
rehydrated and revitalized is by consum-
ing electrolyte-enriched drink Pocari
Sweat, which replenishes body fluids and min-
erals lost through perspiration. Whether we
work inside the office or are engaged in phys-
ically demanding activities outside, most of us
feel worn out and start sweating in the long,
hot and humid weather condition in Oman,
constantly losing body fluids and electrolyte
minerals such as sodium, potassium, etc.
Drinking regular water or carbonated drinks
do not help our body to rehydrate com-
pletely. We need to replace salts and water
that we lose continuously in the form of
sweat. Pocari Sweat fulfils that physical
need. Besides water, the drink puts back in
to the body electrolyte minerals such as
magnesium, sodium, potassium, along with
calcium.
This health drink is produced by Otsuka
Pharmaceutical Group, a pioneer in IV fluids,
headquartered in Osaka, Japan. It is repre-
sented in Oman by Muscat Pharmacy since
1985. Right now Pocari Sweat is coming
from Japan and other parts of Asia.
Takers of health drinkPocari Sweat is a low calorie drink which is
quickly absorbed in to the body. It is thus
recommended as a beverage for corporate
executives, industrial workers, and sports
persons alike. The most notable thing about
Pocari Sweat is the peculiar mix of electro-
lytes with low amounts of glucose striking a
perfect balance for a health drink.
Tips AlertWorking out: Pocari Sweat is best before,
during and after working out in the gym
Hot weather: Refresh while replenishing
lost fluids during a hot sunny day
Goodnight drink: While we sleep, we lose
almost 900 ml of body fluids. Pocari Sweat
maintains hydration longer than water
reducing the need to wakeup at night to
drink
Hot showers: Drink Pocari Sweat after los-
ing fluids due to sweating during a long
hot shower
Diarrhea/Vomiting & Fever – dehydration
takes place after a lot of fluids and salts
are lost as a result of diarrhea/vomitting &
fever. Replace lost fluids and salts to rehy-
drate by drinking Pocari sweat
Hangover: Stay hydrated by Pocari Sweat
as a remedy to hangover
l
l
l
l
l
l
Long travels: Helps in dislodging blood
clots as a result of muscle inactivity dur-
ing long travels. Pocari Sweat improves
blood circulation by providing the right
hydration in our blood vessels.
Building awareness for proper rehydration is
crucial in Middle Eastern countries for its cli-
matic conditions. Rosh Issac-Regional Busi-
ness Manager, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co
Ltd, is confident that if the concept is under-
stood and if people are benefitted by the
drink, they would continue to educate their
next generation. With no artificial flavour-
ing agents, no chemicals, not even preserva-
tives, Pocari Sweat is a pure health drink for
adults and children alike.
l
MUSCAT PHARMACY & STORES LLC
Pocari Sweat is a low calorie drink which is quickly absorbed in to the
body. It is thus recommended as a beverage for corporate executives,
industrial workers and sports persons alike
THE ION-SUPPLY BEVERAGE
SPONSORED FEATURE
Contact: 24813263, [email protected]
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201054
Oman’s healthcare sector is heavily
dependent on imports of medi-
cines and other related products
owing to dearth of pharmaceu-
tical manufacturing companies
in the Sultanate. Despite market
constraints, the limited number of manu-
facturers are taking active steps to take the
industry one step further by expanding
their product portfolio and entering into
joint ventures with global majors.
Though the Oman drug market remains
small, even by regional parameters, the
growth is strong, averaging over 6 per cent
per annum. However, the high inflation in
2009 is expected to wear out some of these
gains in the short-term. By 2012, the total
market value should reach US$151.7mn,
up from US$108.9mn in 2007, according
to Oman Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare
Report Q4, 2008.
Oman Pharmaceutical Products Co LLC is a
global pharmaceutical company specializing
in the development, production and mar-
keting of generic and OTC pharmaceuticals
in the GCC and worldwide. Its state-of–the-
art plant is located in Salalah. The manufac-
turing plants are regularly inspected by GCC
health authorities and other advanced coun-
tries. OPP is the only pharmaceutical organi-
zation in GCC to have achieved the rare dis-
tinction of meeting regulatory approvals of
international authorities like MHRA of UK,
RVO of Germany, among others.
National Pharmaceutical Industries Co (NPI)
is the first finished formations manufacturer
of Oman. The company has a high-tech man-
ufacturing unit set up as per cGMP norms
and UK MCA and US FDA requirements.
On expansion modePharma stores are visible wherever one goes to in Oman. The credit goes
to the vast pool of private players that have opened their outlets across
the Sultanate
PHARMACEUTIC ALS
Jointly promoted by the Ministry of Health,
Oman and the public and private sector, the
project began its commercial operations in
2001 and within a record time, has gone on
to manufacture and register a wide range of
products.
Pharma stores are visible wherever one
goes to in Oman. The credit goes to the vast
pool of private players that have opened
their outlets across Oman. Of the 331 pri-
vate pharmacies in 2005, almost half were in
Muscat region. Mazoon Pharmacy LLC was
the first pharmacy store in Oman and has
established itself as a prominent distributor
of pharmaceutical and health care products.
Today, the UAE has Dubai Healthcare City
(DHCC), Bahrain is all set to build a healthcare
island, and now Oman is the latest target for
investors intending to capitalise on the Mid-
dle East’s health care infrastructure growth.
Majan Development Company is planning to
invest between OMR300mn and OMR400mn
(US$1,039mn) to build a new healthcare city.
in 2008, to reduce public expenditure on
health, Oman invited private hospital chains
from India to establish large scale facilities
in the southern Dhofar region. Moreover,
it is believed that Apollo Hospitals of India
will be part of this pioneering venture as it
already has a facility in Muscat
HEALTHCARE - AN INDUSTRY REPORT 2009-201056
In view of the continued rapid growth of
Oman’s health and medical sector, Oman-
expo LLC is currently organising an interna-
tional exhibition called MedHealth & Well-
ness to be held on October 19-21, 2009 at
the Oman International Exhibition Centre in
Seeb.
A major international event for Oman’s
health and medical sector, MedHealth &
Wellness 2009 will showcase everything
required in achieving and maintaining
good health and well-being. Supported by
the Ministry of Health (MOH), the three-day
international exhibition will feature medical
tourism, health products and services, labo-
ratory and medical equipment, pharmaceu-
tical products, hospital and clinic infrastruc-
ture, medical supplies, sports and fitness,
and alternative therapies.
“We envision MedHealth & Wellness 2009
as the definitive event in Oman for every-
thing related to healthcare, medicine, well-
ness and fitness. It will be highly relevant to
all medical professionals in the Sultanate
as well as to everyone looking for ways to
effectively improve their health,” said C.J.
Paul, general manager of Omanexpo LLC,
the leading exhibition management com-
pany in the Sultanate.
Paul pointed out that, with the official sup-
port of the Ministry of Health, MedHealth &
Wellness 2009 is expected to attract the par-
ticipation of leading companies in Oman’s
vibrant health and medical industry. In line
with this, a briefing on the exhibition was
held on April 20 at the Crowne Plaza Mus-
cat to inform all medical equipment sup-
pliers in Oman about MedHealth & Well-
ness 2009. Invitations have also sent to local
pharmaceutical companies, major hospitals,
medical associations and all medical serv-
ices providers for them to participate in the
exhibition.
“The strong presence of local companies in
the exhibition will prominently showcase
the quality of healthcare in the Sultanate
and also clearly reflect the continued devel-
opment of Oman’s vibrant health and medi-
cal industry,” Paul stressed.
Apart from local companies, MedHealth &
Wellness 2009 is also expected to attract
many international exhibitors who want to
take full advantage of the growing oppor-
tunities in the Sultanate’s medical sector.
The international participants will be made
up, among others, of medical equipment
manufacturers, multinational pharmaceuti-
cal firms, medical tourism providers, medi-
cal supplies companies, and all those deal-
ing in various types of health products.
In addition to the Ministry of Health, Med-
Health & Wellness 2009 is also supported
by the OER Dossier as the official magazine;
Middle East Health magazine as the print
media partner; Malaysia Healthcare.Com,
Global Ayurveda and Placid Way as the
online media partners; and Becker Travel as
the official travel partner.
The organiser, Omanexpo LLC, was estab-
lished in 1986 and has over 22 years of
experience in organising international trade
events that cover a wide range of industries,
including oil and gas, building and con-
struction, motoring, hospitality and food,
and women’s products. Omanexpo LLC is a
member of UFI-The Global Association of
the Exhibition Industry. Omanexpo events
are distinguished for their high visitor turn-
out, professional service to exhibitors, and
strong local and international participation.
For stall reservations or for more informa-
tion on MedHealth & Wellness 2009, con-
tact Melwin D’Cunha, Project Manager, at
24660124, mobile no. +968-92881982, or e-
mail [email protected]. More details
about the event are also available online at
www.omanexpo.com/medhealth.
EVENT
MedHealth & Wellness 2009A major international event for Oman’s health and medical sector,
MedHealth & Wellness 2009 will showcase everything required in
achieving and maintaining good health and well-being
OER Dossier is the official publication for the event.
DOSSIER HEALTHCARE DIRECTORYTelephone
24494762
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AYURVEDIC CLINIC
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H. Dental Design
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Dr. Momen abdul Fatah Abu Ghareeb
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Amira Dental Clnics
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Emirates Medical Centre
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DIRECTORY
DIRECTORY
Kaya Skin Clinic
DOCTORS & CLINICS
Abdul Malik Al-Amir Clinic
Abu Al Dahab Clinic & Pharmacy
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Acu-Magnetic Treatment Centre LLC
Advanced Fertility & Genetics Centre
Aiman Al-Hosni Clinic
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Al Shifa Clinic
Al Shoa’a Polyclinic
Al Yamana Medical Centre
Al Zahra Medical Complex
Alawi Clinic LLC
Al Al-Harthy & Partners Clinic
All Season Ayurvedic Clinic
Anwar Clinic
Apollo Medical Centre LLC
Asia Service Centre
Assalam Polyclinic - Seeb
Atlas Star Medical Centre
Badr Al Samaa Polyclinc LLC
Baha Specialist Clinic
Bait Al Dawa
Banu Hamdan Clinic
Boushar General Clinic
Capital Clinic
Capital Polyclinic
Dar Al Saha Clinic
Dr. Maurice Al Asfour Specialised
El Shola General Clinic
Emirates Medical Centre
Faraheed Natural herabl Massage Centre
Feeri Clinic
Ghala Clinic
Gulf Chinese Medical Centre
Gulf Medical Centre
Health For All
Health For All
IBN Hazmi Clinic
IBN Saeed Al Siyabi clinic
Ibra Medical Clinic
Indian Ayurvedic Clinic - Ajwa
International Medical Speciality Centre
International Medical herbs Centre
Jaber Bin Hayyan Clinic
Juma Al Habsi Health Clinic
Jaber Bin Hayyan Clinic
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24486005
24799935
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99024177
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24496191
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Kahsan Medical Centre
Kottakkal Arya vaidya Sala
Lama Polyclinic LLC
Madinat Sultant Qaboos Dental Clinic`
Marwan Al Baoushi Tradg
Masirah Clinic
Medident Centre
Modern National Medical Centre
Mohd Habib & Sons Co
Muscat Eye Laser Centre
Muscat Polyclinic
Naif Polyclinc & Pharmacy LLc
Nizwa Medical Complex
Obar Clinic
Ocean Clinic
Oman Polyclinic
Omari Medical Centre
Rawabi Al Ghazali Medical Clinic
Ruwi Clinic
Scientific Polyclinic
Sharifa Moosa Al Zadjaly Clinic
Specialised Medical Centre LLC
Specialised Modern Medical Complex
Star Clinic
Sun 23 Medical Centre
Sundus Specialized Medical Complex
Top Medical Care
Um Salama Polyclinis
Welcare Diagnostics & Treatment Center
EYE CLINIC
Finland Eye Centre
Muscat Eye Laser Centre
HEALTH CLUBS & CENTRES
Abu Fares Al Raisi Trdg & Contracting
Al Ons helath & Beauty Centre
Areej Health Centre
Elixir Holistic Centre
Future Health Club
Horizon LLC
Ideal Gym
Malatan Health Club
Muscat Slimming Centre
White Thread Trading LLC (Health Club)
HEARING AID CENTRES
Hassan؛s Hearing Aid Centre
Hearing Aid Centre LLC
Suleimana Hearing Aids
HEARING AIDS
National Optical & Hearing Centre
HOMEOPATHIC CLINICS
Bait Al Dawa
Bashair Al Noor Medical Centre
Marwan Al Baloushi Trdg,
Saja Medical Centre
HOSPITALS
Adam Hospitals
Al Jazer Hospital
Al Nahda Hospital
Armed Forces Hospital
Badr Al Samaa Polyclinic LLC
Bidiya Hospital
Bilad Bani Bu Ali Hospital
Boukha Hospital
Buraimi Hospital
Deab Hospital
Haima Hospital
Hamdan Hotel
Ibn Sina Hospital
Ibra Hospital
Ibri Hospital
Izki Hospital
KIMS Oman Medical Complex
Khasab Hospital
Khoula Hospital
Magrabi Eye & Ear Hospital
Masirah Hospital
Muscat Private Hospital
Nizwa Hospital
Police Hospital
Quriyat Hospital
Royal Hospital
Rustaq Hospital
Saham Hospital
Sinaw Hospital
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24785821
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DIRECTORY
Sohar Hospital
Sultan Qaboos Hospital - Salalah
Sumail Hospital
Sur Hospital
Tanam Hospital
LABORATIES - MEDICAL
AL Balooki Dental Clinic & Medical
Medicare Centre
Qurum Clinic LLC
LABORATORIES - TESTING
Ib Hazim Clinic
Life Line Laboratories
MASSAGE CLINICS/CENTRES
Areej Health Centre
Chineses Massage Centre
Sri Sri Ayurvedic Clinic
MEDICAL CLINICS
Ahmed Medical Centre
Al Amal Medical & health Care Centre
Capital Polyclinic LLC
International Medical Speciality Centre
OPTHALMOLOGISTS
Al Lamki Polyclinic
ORTHODONTISTS
Al Ghubrah Dental Speciality Centre
Al Mayias Dental Clinics
Muscat Dental Specialists
Precision Dental Clnics
Wassan Speciality Dental Clinics
PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS
Khasab clinis LLC- Khasab
PHYSIOTHERAPISTS
Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation Centre
Qurum Physiotherapy Centre
POLYCLINIC
Al Hayat Polyclinic LLC
Basmat Muscat Polyclinic
Hatat Polyclinic LLC
PSYCHIATRIST
Emirates Medical Centre
SKIN TREATMENTS
Emirates Medical Centre
26840399
23211151
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24832721
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