growing population and increasing awareness on health issues are favourable factors for the development of health care sector in the Sultanate. Along with government hospitals which provide several free and discounted medical services to the public, private hospitals
which give specialised services are also contributing significantly to the growth of health care sector in Oman. There are also efforts on the part of private sector to start world class hospitals in the Sultanate. Several private hospitals which provide quality health services to patients have come up in the Sultanate in the last few years

leading to the modernisation of healthcare sector in the Sultanate. The Ministry of Health is providing generous support to the private sector hospitals. Badar Al Samaa Hospital, Apollo Medical Centre, and Welcare DTC are among the leading hospitals in the private sector that have come up in the Sultanate in the last few years. Apart from aiming to provide specialised treatment to patients, many of the private hospitals are aiming to ensure that the treatment is also affordable to the vast majority of patients. There are also hospitals which aim to position itself in the premium segment. The private sector has introduced modern technology and state of the art equipment in their hospitals and brings the services of renowned doctors to the Sultanate.

The developments in the health sector in the Sultanate have beenbeneficial to patients and the investors. While private hospital groups have recorded unprecedented growth, the patients also benefited. Availability of specialised treatment in the country has helped patients to save money and time spent for travelling abroad for getting expert treatment.

The Badr Al Samaa group of hospitals founded in 2002 has recorded phenomenal growth in seven years. In an exclusive interview to Oman Vistas Badr Al Samaa directors said the group aims is to provide expert treatment at affordable rates. Founded by three visionary entrepreneurs Abdul Latheef, Vinod and PA Mohammed the group has at present six hospitals across the country and is planning to commission two more hospitals in the near future. Apart from Ruwi, where the

group started its first hospital, the group owns hospitals at Al Khuwair, Sohar, Salalah, Al Khoud, & Barka. The ongoing projects are in Sur and Nizwa. The group also operates and emergency clinic at Sohar Port.

“ We have plans to open a world class super-specialty hospital in Muscat in the near future and the patients in the country will not have to travel abroad in the coming days
to get expert treatment,” said Badr Al Samaa directors.

The group offers treatment in 20 disciplines and has around 250 doctors and 1000 nursing, para-medical and supporting staff. “

Apollo Medical Centre, Oman which has been a pioneer in introducing several new treatment practices in the Sultanate is associated with Apollo hospitals group, India which is Asia’s largest health care group.

The hospital has consultancy services involving a rare range of specialities. The hospital has a modern Intensive Care Unit (ICU) which is fully equipped to render

speedy treatment to all critical illnesses. “We have introduced in the Sultanate’sprivate ealthcare sector the most sophisticated and modern mother and child care services as part of multi-specialty medical facility,” said Apollo hospital authorities. The hospital is the first in Oman to
introduce tele-medicine facility, said the hospital. The tele-medicine centre at the hospital is linked with the network of Apollo hospital in India. The network linked to 100 centres is the largest tele-medicine network in Asia. The facility helps patients to get expert advice from
doctors at different centres without actually going there. It also helps patients to save time and money. Apollo hospital also conducts regular speciality clinics by visiting senior consultants from abroad.

Welcare DTC Muscat which is part of Dubai based Varkey group and associated with Medi Clinic Corporation, South Africa and GE Healthcare UAE is a premium healthcare centre. It has 16 specialties. It alsooffers diagnostic, therapeutic and other services. According to Welcare
DTC it aims to bring best international practices in treatment and expertise to Oman.

“We saw a lot of people from Oman coming to Dubai to use our premium services here; hence we felt it would benefit them if we set up hospital here,” said Welcare officials on starting the hospital in Muscat.

The private health care industry leaders noted that there is still room for development in the health care sector in the Sultanate. They note that the growth of private players in the health care sector has not decreased the number of patients in government hospitals in the Sultanate.
The private medical centres in the Sultanate are capable of handling all types of crisis, they said.
While some of them said the future is likely to witness mergers in the private sector, others felt that there is no scope for mergers in the immediate future.

Apart from aiming to provide specialised treatment to patients, many of the private hospitals are aiming to ensure that the treatment is also affordable to the vast majority of patients.