The Ministry of Health, represented by the Directorate General of Private Health Establishments, held today (Monday) the 3rd Annual Forum of Private Health Institutions at Kempinski Hotel.
The opening was held under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Ahmed Salem Al-Mandhari, MOH’s Undersecretary for Planning and Health Regulation, in the presence of Dr. Muhana Al-Maslahi, Director General of Private Health Establishments, along with several officials from the ministry, experts, and representatives from private health institutions across various governorates.
In his speech, Planning and Health Regulation Undersecretary emphasized the vital role played by the private health sector in achieving the sustainable health development goals in the Sultanate of Oman. He explained that the Ministry of Health is always committed to providing an encouraging environment for investment in this significant and vital sector, which positively influences the quality of life in society. 
The forum focused on four main topics through the conduction of sessions; one of which was the current challenges faced by the private health sector where discussions proposed innovative solutions and mechanisms to address the challenges, and covered important issues such as enhancing transparency in performance, developing regulatory systems, and establishing clear standards for evaluating institutional performance.
Moreover, key environmental issues were addressed, including the promotion of safe medical waste disposal systems using modern and eco-friendly technologies to reduce the negative impact on public health. Another session highlighted complementary medicine as a valuable addition to the healthcare system, offering treatment options that enhance patient comfort and satisfaction. Lastly, the executive regulations of the "Law on Regulating the Practice of Medicine and Allied Medical Professions" were also explored during the forum. 
Several goals were set to be realized by holding the forum that can be outlined in achieving a qualitative leap in the level of the provided healthcare services through initiating a recognition mechanism for outstanding healthcare institutions to encourage innovation and competitiveness. The forum also aimed at improving evaluation and regulatory mechanisms to ensure compliance with the highest performance standards, ensuring patient safety, safe disposal of medical waste, and activating the role of complementary medicine as part of a comprehensive and integrated healthcare system.
The forum concluded its sessions with a set of key recommendations, which included strengthening the collaboration between the Ministry of Health and private sector institutions, establishing continuous communication channels for sharing expertise and information, fostering institutional excellence through clear recognition standards to honor leading healthcare facilities, enhancing medical waste disposal systems to align with global environmental standards, and promoting the integration of complementary medicine as a valuable approach to improving patient health and quality of life.
The forum serves as a vital platform for strengthening existing collaboration and exchanging experiences between the public and private sectors. It highlights the achievements and challenges faced by the private health sector, and reinforces the shared commitment to achieving a transformative leap in the quality of healthcare services. It also reflects Oman’s future aspirations to be a leading model in the field of healthcare, capable of embracing medical innovations and keeping pace with future challenges.