Muscat – According to the report, the Ministry’s hospitals performed a total of 86,955 surgical operations over the past year, with 39,976 operations conducted for males and 46,979 for females.
The comprehensive annual review also highlighted a substantial increase in healthcare infrastructure, with the number of hospitals rising to 92 and the total number of hospitalization beds expanding to 7,691.

This increase has improved the bed rate per 10,000 population from 14.7 in 2022 to 14.9 in 2023.
The Ministry’s expenditures surged to over one billion Omani riyals in 2023, marking a 24.6 percent increase from the previous year. This rise in spending is attributed to ongoing development projects aimed at establishing and expanding hospitals and other health institutions.

The report also underscores progress in several key health indicators. The infant mortality rate fell to 8.5 deaths per 1,000 live births, down from 8.8 in 2022. The mortality rate for children under five years of age also decreased to 10.8 per 1,000 live births, compared to 11.4 the previous year. The overall crude death rate improved to 1.7 deaths per 1,000 population. However, the maternal mortality rate was recorded at 19.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, with Omani women experiencing a slightly lower rate of 17.5 per 100,000.

As of the end of 2023, the Ministry of Health managed a total of 265 health institutions, which include 50 hospitals with 5,024 beds, 21 health complexes, and 194 health centers. This expansion is part of an ongoing effort to enhance the quality of healthcare services across various levels.
In terms of human resources, the Ministry reported an increase in staffing levels to 39,542 employees, up from 39,188 in 2022. The Omanization rate stands at 71 percent. Notably, there were increases in the number of doctors, pharmacists, and nurses, reflecting the Ministry’s commitment to bolstering medical and paramedical services.

The number of outpatient clinic visits rose to 15.3 million, marking a 2.7 percent increase from the previous year. Additionally, the volume of x-rays performed grew by 9.5 percent, reaching approximately 1.8 million. The number of patients receiving dialysis services also increased to 2,588.

Efforts to combat infectious diseases have yielded positive results, with the expanded immunization system achieving close to 100 percent coverage. Diseases such as polio, neonatal tetanus, diphtheria, yellow fever, and German measles have been eradicated, though cases of dengue fever and malaria were reported, with 2,711 and 295 cases respectively.

Organ transplantation saw a notable rise, with 19 kidneys, 11 livers, and 20 corneas transplanted last year, alongside 17 kidney and 11 liver donations. This marks an increase in transplant operations compared to 2022.

The report also reflects a shift in disease prevalence, with an increase in non-infectious diseases attributed to lifestyle factors. Hospital admissions climbed to over 302,000 cases, a 2.6 percent increase from the previous year, with the average length of stay at 3.5 days and a bed occupancy rate of 65.1 percent.

Moreover, there was a significant increase in the number of patients referred for treatment outside the Sultanate or to the private sector, reaching 1,315 referrals—an increase of 26.4 percent from 2022.
It is noteworthy that the health report issued annually by the Ministry of Health, represented by the Department of Information and Statistics, contains many indicators related to health and the health services provided and highlights the Ministry’s interest in developing its health services, including primary and specialized health care, provided in all health institutions spread throughout the Sultanate of Oman.

This report also helps in providing international and regional health organizations with health data related to the Sultanate of Oman.