MUSCAT – The new projects, inaugurated under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Hilal bin Ali Al Sabti, Minister of Health, aim to enhance access to specialised surgical care and include the implementation of 1,000 arthroscopic surgeries in the orthopaedic department (shoulder, knee, and ankle), 600 spine surgeries, and 500 obesity surgeries.

The announcement came during a ceremony celebrating the outcomes of last year’s inaugural set of health initiatives, which focused on reducing waiting times, improving quality of care, and enhancing healthcare efficiency across departments.

Dr. Rashid bin Mohammed Al Alawi, Director General of Khoula Hospital, highlighted the significant efforts of the medical, technical, and administrative teams at both Khoula and Al Nahda Hospitals. He emphasized that the newly launched initiatives represent a natural continuation of the hospital’s strategy to deliver high-quality, specialized healthcare services through a structured and team-based approach.

According to Dr. Al Alawi, the Directorate General is continuing its efforts to modernise and expand specialised healthcare services by launching seven new healthcare initiatives in 2024. These initiatives aim to further improve service quality, reduce patient waiting times, and ensure the long-term sustainability of care at both hospitals. He noted that these efforts build upon the success of eight initiatives launched in the previous year, which helped ease the burden on patients and improve access to timely diagnostics and treatment.

Among the key initiatives launched last year was an MRI programme at Khoula Hospital that performed 13,566 scans, exceeding its original target of 12,000. The initiative averaged 45 to 50 scans per day and successfully reduced patient waiting times to under three days. Another major initiative included the performance of 1,500 ‘white discharge’ operations at both hospitals, resulting in 2,198 completed procedures and a 50 percent reduction in waiting lists. Additionally, a paediatric ENT program carried out 1,551 tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy surgeries for children, with around 83 procedures performed monthly, also cutting waiting times by half.

A standout achievement was the knee replacement initiative, where 1,114 successful surgeries were conducted at Khoula Hospital, averaging 100 operations per month. A dedicated knee joint replacement department was established, and the waiting period was significantly reduced from 23 months to just two months. Similarly, efforts to reduce backlogs in the endoscopy department resulted in 2,321 procedures being completed, bringing down the waiting period from 14 months to one month.