Muscat: The Shura Council will host Dr. Hilal Ali Al Sabti, Minister of Health, on Sunday and Monday, 26 April and 27 April, to present the Ministry of Health's policy statement during the 16th and 17th regular sessions of the third annual sitting (2025-2026) of the tenth term (2023-2027). The statement, part of the ministerial briefings approved for the current sitting, will focus on the performance of the health sector, policy evaluation, and executive programs.
According to Oman News Agency, Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Al Nadabi, Secretary-General of the Shura Council, stated that the ministerial statement comprises six main themes. These cover institutional performance, development projects, service quality, crisis management, health transformation, and financial sustainability.
He explained that the first theme addresses the Ministry's projects under the Tenth Five-Year Development Plan (2021-2025) by reviewing institutional performance assessment methodologies, measurement tools, and achievement indicators related to strategic projects and programs. This theme also includes an analysis of operational challenges and lessons learned, and their impact on strengthening the public health system.
The second theme reviews the Ministry's projects and programs under the Eleventh Five-Year Development Plan (2026-2030), including mechanisms for setting national health priorities and strategic programs with a direct impact on health indicators. It also includes plans to expand disease prevention programs and enhance integration between preventive and curative health services.
The third theme focuses on the quality of health services by evaluating the efficiency of oversight systems for public and private health institutions, the effectiveness of medical governance, and the development of the medical error management system. It also includes initiatives aimed at reducing waiting times, improving diagnostic and therapeutic services, and ensuring drug safety and security.
He noted that the fourth theme addresses health crisis management by reviewing legislative and regulatory approaches related to crises. This includes developing early warning systems and health risk forecasting, enhancing pharmaceutical security, localizing vital industries, and strengthening integration with relevant sectors to mitigate health risk factors.
Al Nadabi further stated that the fifth theme reviews future-oriented perspectives for the health system, such as expanding the decentralization of specialized services, implementing the unified electronic health record project, and enhancing the use of artificial intelligence technologies in diagnosis and data management.
Regarding the sixth theme, he indicated that it will address financing and investment in the health sector. This involves reviewing sustainable financing alternatives, developing the social health insurance model, enhancing investment in the health sector, and improving spending efficiency to ensure the long-term sustainability of the health system.
The Secretary-General of the Shura Council affirmed that the discussion of the Ministry of Health's statement aims to strengthen the Council's legislative roles, assess the implementation of national plans, and measure the impact of health policies on the community's quality of life. This supports the achievement of targets set out in Oman Vision 2040 and consolidates the efficiency and sustainability of the health sector in the Sultanate of Oman.