Call to make premarital screening compulsory gains pace in Oman
Ibri – Ministry of Health held a seminar in Ibri, Dhahirah on Tuesday highlighting the vital role of premarital medical screening in building healthy families and raising community awareness.
Held under the theme 'Premarital Medical Screening: A Step Towards Building a Healthy Family and an Informed Society', the seminar formed part of National Premarital Screening Programme to promote awareness on premarital testing.
It was organised by the Directorate General of Health Services in Dhahirah and held under the patronage of Najib bin Ali al Rawas, Governor of Dhahirah.
The seminar underscored the need to intensify awareness campaigns targeting youth and those preparing for marriage, and called for making premarital screening a mandatory requirement.
Participants also recommended the establishment of dedicated counseling sessions to help prospective couples understand and manage test results in a scientific and compassionate manner. Emphasis was placed on upholding confidentiality and privacy of test results, and on preventing any misuse of such information. Dr Ahmed bin Saeed al Kalbani, Director General of Health Services in Dhahirah
The seminar further called for stronger collaboration between health, educational, media and religious institutions to support and promote a culture of premarital testing.
Among the recommendations was the need to provide psychological and social support for couples whose test results are incompatible, especially in cases where health issues could impact marriage plans.
Inclusion of premarital screening topics in school curricula from Grades 10 to 12 and at the university level was also proposed to promote early awareness, foster scientific research, and reduce the incidence of genetic diseases.
These initiatives align with Oman Vision 2040 objectives for public health and quality of life, focusing on prevention and community wellbeing.
Dr Ahmed bin Saeed al Kalbani, Director General of Health Services in Dhahirah, described premarital screening as a cornerstone to preventing hereditary diseases, and a proactive step that can spare families long-term suffering.
The seminar featured several presentations by specialists on the medical, social and legal aspects of screening.
Prof Dr Salam bin Salem al Kindi, Senior Consultant of Hematology at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, reviewed key genetic diseases covered by the National Premarital Screening Programme.
Dr Sarah bint Nasser al Waili, Director of Primary Healthcare Department, outlined the objectives and implementation mechanisms of the National Premarital Screening Programme.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Muscat Daily
10 hours ago
- Muscat Daily
Oman launches updated national HIV guidelines
Muscat – Represented by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Ministry of Health (MoH) launched an updated edition of the National HIV Guidelines on Thursday marking a significant step forward in the sultanate's efforts to enhance the quality of care for people living with HIV. The event was held under the patronage of H E Dr Ahmed bin Salem al Mandhari, Undersecretary for Planning and Health Regulation at MoH, and attended by Dr Amal al Ma'niyah, Director General of Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, alongside several senior officials and healthcare professionals. Revision of the national guidelines forms part of MoH's ongoing commitment to standardising the provision of care and treatment across healthcare institutions in line with evidence-based best practices. It also aims to enhance the capacity of healthcare providers, support the objectives of the National AIDS Strategy, and help mitigate the health and social impacts of the virus. The updated guidelines offer practical, clinical and scientific recommendations in key areas such as diagnosis, treatment and long-term follow-up. These also address the psychological, social and human rights factors affecting people living with HIV. Developed in collaboration with national and international experts, the guidelines align with global standards established by World Health Organization and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. On the sidelines of the launch, a training workshop was held for 150 healthcare professionals representing health institutions across all governorates. Organised by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in partnership with The Royal Hospital, the workshop focused on key updates in the 2025 National HIV Guidelines, implications of these on clinical practice and ways to foster stronger inter-professional collaboration among HIV service providers. The centre emphasised the fact that the updated guidelines represent a pivotal advancement in improving the quality of life for people living with HIV, reducing new infection rates, and combating the stigma and discrimination associated with the virus.
Times of Oman
12 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Oman's development project funding soars by 72% to OMR11bn
Muscat: Significant progress has been reported in implementing the Tenth Five-Year Development Plan (2021–2025), which aligns with Oman Vision 2040, the Ministry of Economy said on Saturday. Development project funding has surged by 72 percent to OMR11 billion compared to the initial OMR6.4 billion approved at the start of the implementation of the plan. This significant growth follows the completion and launch of numerous infrastructure and economic diversification initiatives across various service and social sectors. These efforts are supporting the Vision 2040 goals of comprehensive, balanced development by upgrading public services, improving infrastructure, and enhancing investment in all governorates. According to the Ministry, 95% of the plan's 412 strategic programmes are already underway, spanning 14 national priorities and covering all the key pillars of the vision. The Ministry said that all programmes related to the youth development priority have come into force. These programmes aim to govern and regulate the youth sector, enhance youth participation, and develop capabilities and skills of youth. All the three programmes implemented focused on governance, youth engagement, and skill development. All the programmes under the health priority segment like building hospitals, enhancing health coverage, and digital transformation are being implemented. The ministry further said that under the education and scientific segment 65 of the 70 programmes are active and include capacity building, governance reforms, career guidance, and innovation promotion. In the citizenship, heritage and culture segment 43 of the 45 programmes have been launched. These focus on tourism data systems, national talent training and international cultural events. In the social welfare segment 25 of the 26 programmes are operational and these include housing support, disability-inclusive festivals, sports promotion and social insurance sustainability efforts. The ministry further said that under the Economy and Development segment 152 programmes are underway, 98% of which are already being implemented. These include in areas like advanced urban services, community organisation roles in housing, land development for investment, and decentralised economic management. All the 17 programmes targeting the private sector, investment, and international cooperation are ongoing featuring loan guarantees, SME growth programmes and cost optimisation in the oil and gas sector. Under the information and communications technology (ICT) priority, all the 20 programmes related have come into effect. This includes the national digital economy strategy, smart city networks, cyber awareness campaigns and digital upskilling programmes. The flagship initiative 'Makeen' has trained over 8,200 Omanis through 126 sessions and set the groundwork for Oman's future tech talent hubs. Under the economic leadership and management priority, all the six associated programmes are currently being implemented. These include developing a more advanced and efficient public finance management system, establishing a national registry for government assets, creating an empowered and effective body responsible for coordinating economic decisions and preparing a national policy guide, and updating economic legislation to stimulate activity and enhance competitiveness. Additionally, 60 out of 62 programmes under the economic diversification and financial sustainability priority have entered the implementation phase. They include initiatives such as empowering startups in Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, expanding national data centre and government cloud services, strengthening innovation and operational efficiency in public institutions, unified global software licencing management, reviewing government service fees, monitoring the performance and competitiveness of the logistics sector, and maximising local value in transport, communications, and IT projects. Other notable initiatives include support for national industries and Omani products, modernisation of financial legislation in the mining sector, updating the Mineral Resources Law, promoting investment in mining, developing a digital mining platform, enhancing local company and SME participation in the energy and mining sectors, and advancing digital transformation in government services. Regarding the labour market and employment priority, 17 out of 18 programmes are being implemented. These focus on drafting the National Employment Strategy, improving labour policies and legislation, implementing an effective nationalisation (Omanisation) mechanism, rolling out replacement-linked training initiatives, offering specialised entrepreneurship programmes in cooperation with relevant agencies, and cultivating a culture of empowerment for national talent in the energy and mining sectors. Under the Sustainable Environment pillar, a total of 56 programmes have been outlined, with 95% (53 programmes) already in implementation. These include key initiatives such as updating environmental policies and legislation, sustainable biodiversity management, a national strategy for chemical and agricultural soil conditioner management, regulation of pesticides and fertilizers, enhancement of palm productivity, the establishment of a national environmental monitoring and control system, development of a national environmental information system to support decision-making, and programs to support fishing vessels and equipment. In the governance and institutional performance segment, 54 programmes are aligned with its priorities. As of the first quarter of 2025, 87% are in execution. Notably, 13 out of 14 programmes in the legislative, judicial, and oversight areas have been launched—covering anti-corruption, public fund protection, oversight capacity-building, governance of national resources and projects, and improving civil aviation security in line with international standards. Within the public administration governance segment, 34 out of 40 programmes are currently active. These include ensuring governmental compliance, evaluating governance in state-owned enterprises, and developing legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks for the telecom and IT sectors. Other ongoing efforts include establishing a national innovation and change management system, an innovation lab for performance improvement, integration of e-government services, performance measurement systems, and upgrading the infrastructure and technical support for national networks. Regarding development projects currently being implemented during the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), the Ministry of Economy said that notable progress has been made. In the infrastructure sector segment, Phase 1 of Sultan Haitham City is 80% complete, with Phase 2 at 45% completion. 25% of the structural planning for Greater Muscat, Salalah, Nizwa, and Haima have been completed. In the road sector projects indicated varied completion rates: Khasab–Daba–Lima road at 40%, Adam–Thumrait dualisation at 32%, Al-Amirat's Al-Joud Street at 79%, Dhofar's Darbat tunnel at 90%, Sultan Qaboos Street dualisation in Salalah at 81% and various other road projects ranging from 20% to 86%. In the social services sector, construction of health facilities is progressing strongly: Sultan Qaboos Hospital (Salalah) is 58% complete, Madha Hospital 86%, Suwaiq Hospital 77%, and other facilities such as Wadi Bani Khalid, Samail, Falah, and Namah Hospitals are progressing between 3% to 82%. The new Infectious Diseases Lab has reached 91% completion. In the education sector, 69 new schools are being built across the Sultanate, with an average completion rate of 50%. In the commodity production sector date palm weevil eradication has reached a completion rate of 80%, palm seedling productivity at 95%, desert locust control at 90%, agricultural and fisheries development at 59%, and animal disease surveillance at 95%. Fishing port infrastructure upgrades are ongoing and the completion rate includes Daba Port (86%), Kumzar Port (45%) and data preservation in the oil and gas sector and smart monitoring of mineral output are also underway. Finally, in the productive services sector, major projects are nearing completion: the Oman Botanical Garden (95%), municipal service improvements in Dhofar tourist areas (95%), coastal development in Shuwaymiyah and Taqah (20%), and multiple urban promenade and tourism marketing initiatives all contributing to enhanced service quality, tourism appeal, and housing aid delivery, with some projects like the housing assistance program achieving 92% completion
Times of Oman
15 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Oman showcases investment ambitions at SPIEF 2025, advancing strategic investment ties with Russia
St. Petersburg, Russia: The Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, concluded its participation in the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), reaffirming its commitment to global economic dialogue and cross-border investment engagement. Oman spotlighted its integrated business ecosystem and priority sectors under Oman Vision 2040, which aims to foster a resilient and diversified economy. SPIEF 2025 attracted approximately 20,000 participants from 140 countries, maintaining robust international engagement. The Forum featured more than 150 events, ranging from thematic panels and plenary sessions to business breakfasts and bilateral dialogues. High-profile attendees included Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, Bahraini royal Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and South African Deputy President Paul Mashatile — alongside senior officials from nearly 50 countries, including Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the Central African Republic. Their presence underscored SPIEF's role as a pivotal platform for fostering multipolar economic cooperation. The Omani delegation was led by Her Excellency Ibtisam bint Ahmed Al Farooji, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion for Investment Promotion, who spearheaded a series of high-level meetings and sector-focused engagements. The delegation's program included participation in key forum sessions, bilateral meetings with institutional investors, and exploratory visits to major corporate pavilions. This year, Oman's focus centered on promoting investment in four high-potential sectors: luxury tourism, logistics, food security, and mining — each aligned with national efforts to position Oman as a competitive and future-ready investment destination. As part of its engagement, Oman organized a dedicated roundtable with leading Russian companies active in these sectors. The session provided a platform to present the Sultanate's competitive advantages, regulatory reforms, and infrastructure readiness, while facilitating direct dialogue with potential investors and strategic partners. 'Oman is focused on high-value investment, enabling enterprise through streamlined digital platforms, and scaling public-private partnerships—an area where we bring over two decades of institutional experience. Our business climate continues to strengthen, supported by policy clarity, legal reform, and competitive market access.' She highlighted Oman's upgraded credit rating by Standard & Poor's in 2024 as a signal of fiscal stability and investor confidence, adding that the Sultanate is actively translating these gains into tangible investment momentum across key sectors—from green hydrogen and advanced manufacturing to integrated tourism and logistics. Trade and economic cooperation between Oman and Russia continues to deepen. As of February 2024, the bilateral trade volume reached RO 30.9 million. Notably, Omani exports to Russia surged from RO 582,602 in 2022 to RO 3.35 million in 2023 — a remarkable 475% increase. Imports from Russia totaled RO 188.4 million, highlighting the scale and diversification of commercial ties between the two countries. Oman's participation in SPIEF 2025 aligns with its broader strategy to enhance investor outreach in key international markets, particularly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. By leveraging global platforms such as SPIEF, Oman is actively cultivating a network of institutional investors and strategic partners to catalyse sustainable development and high-impact investment. As part of the official business program, Oman participated in the SPIEF session titled 'Greater Eurasia: Drivers for the Formation of an Integrated Investment Market.' Her Excellency joined global investment leaders to explore policy tools that can accelerate cross-border capital flows. Discussions addressed market integration, institutional readiness, and innovative investment instruments — themes that closely align with Oman's ongoing investment reform agenda.
