MUSCAT : The ongoing initiatives include three new hospitals in the Wilayats of Salalah, Maqshan, and Thumrait, along with the expansion of Taqah Hospital and the second phase of Awqad Health Centre.

Additional facilities, such as the new Al Halaniyat Health Centre in the Wilayat of Shaleem and Al Halaniyat Islands and the Madhi Health Centre in Thumrait, are also part of this comprehensive plan.

Eng. Yousef bin Yaqoub Ambu Ali, Director General of the Directorate General of Projects and Engineering Services at the Ministry of Health, reported that the new Sultan Qaboos Hospital project in Salalah has achieved a 48 percent completion rate. This state-of-the-art facility will feature seven floors and a capacity of 700 beds, equipped with the latest medical technology, specialised clinics, and advanced medical facilities at a cost of RO 138 million.

In September, the Ministry celebrated the opening of Al Mazyouna Hospital, which serves over 8,000 residents with a capacity of 50 beds, built at a cost of approximately RO 15.4 million.

The Ministry has also completed expansion works at the Salalah Western Health Center and is currently implementing the second phase of the Awqad Health Center expansion, which is 25 percent complete. In Thumrait, construction works to upgrade the Thumrait Health Center to a local hospital has reached a completion rate of 60 percent.

Besides, the Maqshan Hospital project is nearing completion at 99 percent, with funding sourced from private sector social responsibility initiatives. The expansion of Taqah Hospital is also well underway, with a completion rate of 55 percent and expected finalization in early 2025.

The Hallaniyat Health Center project is also approaching completion with a 99 percent progress rate and is expected to be operational before the end of 2024. Future plans include establishing three additional health centers in Salalah and a new Sadah Hospital, along with preliminary designs for the expansion of Mirbat Hospital.

Eng. Yousef added that tender documents are being prepared to upgrade the Shahab Asaib Health Center to a local hospital, and plans are in place for the Dhalkut Hospital, which will serve residents in Rakhyut and Dhalkut.

With a total of 45 health institutions in Dhofar Governorate, including the renowned Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Salalah, these projects aim to enhance healthcare delivery in line with population growth and the evolving needs of the community.

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