The precautionary preparedness to combat the Corona Virus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic at the Directorate General of Health Services in  ASharqiyah South Governorate began early in last February, where it has worked to form a main committee, meeting together in permanent session, to review the latest developments and coordinate with the various institutions and the state’s apparatus in order to take the required procedures to contain the virus and mitigate its spread as well to deal with and treat infections.

During the first meeting of the main committee, number of topics were addressed regarding the preparations, precautionary measures and preventive plans to counter and reduce the spread of the virus, in addition to affirming taking the health information from its reliable sources.

The DGHS formed a committee to head the educational awareness campaign that included a number of investigation teams and volunteer teams. The committee further worked to distribute brochures to various public institutions and catering trade centers to enhance the community’s culture about COVID-19 prevention.

The monitoring and surveillance teams in the Directorate have continued their role in following up the infected cases, monitoring close contacts, taking the necessary examinations and making special approved forms.

Furthermore, the Crisis and Emergency Department of the Governorate’s DGHS coordinated with the concerned authorities to arrange the procedures for institutional and home isolation where it provided a number of hotel enterprises in the governorate and the sports complex in Sur for the institutional isolation while designating Sur Hospital for isolation, and taking the responsibility to  provide all the necessary medical supplies to deal with the virus and intensify preventive measures.

The main committee for emergency management in the governorate, headed by Dr. Khaled Al-Saadi, Director General of Health Services in ASharqiyah South, held a meeting to follow up the activation of the Corona Virus Response Committees ( COVID-19) and follow-up procedures related to home quarantine, and the preparedness of infection control teams in health institutions in the governorate.

The committee further held a similar meeting in the presence of the departments and hospitals directors and heads of sections to follow up on the implementation of precautionary measures and home and institutional quarantine procedures to prevent corona virus.

Moreover, the DGHS represented by the Health Education Department and the Infection Control Department and in cooperation with the Sur Hospital organized educational awareness workshops on Corona Virus Prevention (COVID-19) that witnessed the participation of community members.

The Quality Management and Patient Safety Department carried out field visits to the Health Centers and hospitals of the Governorate’s Wilayats to follow the progress of work and the readiness of health institutions in the governorate to counter the outbreak of the Corona virus.

The sub-committee for the medical response and public health sector in the governorate also held a meeting with the presence of members of the relief and shelter sector and the Royal Oman Police Operations Room as well the main committee for emergency cases to discuss the mechanism of institutional isolation and joint administrative coordination between the concerned sectors.

Field teams from the medical and administrative cadres of the Health Committee in the Wilayat of Ja'alan Bani Bu Ali continued their efforts in visiting the isolated persons to check on their health and to ensure the availability of home insolation standards.

The health investigation team in the Wilayat of Ja'alan Bani Bu Hassan carried out an educational campaign to raise awareness of citizens, expatriate workers, and workers in commercial shops, where they were urged to adhere to the instructions issued by the concerned authorities to confront the Corona virus, and stress to them avoid gatherings.

The health team in Wilayat Al-Kamil and Al-Wafi conducted field visits for monitoring and investigation on examination without the need to show the residence card and its validity in cooperation with Azm Technology and national cadres.

Drones to monitor suspected cases of COVID-19 by measuring the temperature of people remotely in Saih Qariha, Ja'alan Bani Bu Ali were deployed to limit the spread of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the volunteer committee supporting the health sector of the Sur Health City office organized a screening campaign for those residing in the wilayat commercial market as part of the initial examination to measure body temperature within the campaign to tackle the Corona virus.