The Ministry of Health (MOH) is continuing its intensive efforts in Dhofar Governorate to restore the work at all health institutions, some of which have been closed precautionary and resumed the work after the end of the climate conditions. Other institutions were affected and started re-providing its treatment services after being fully equipped while some institutions are underworking to repair the damages and rehabilitate them gradually.  

Based on the MOH previous and successful experiences in dealing with such exceptional climate conditions, the Ministry with highly efficient has been able to deal with the last weather conditions that hit the Governorates of Dhofar and al-Wusta in the Sultanate.

The Ministry participated in the emergency meeting on Tuesday (May 22) at the National Multi-Hazard Early Warning Center of the Public Authority for Civil Defence & Ambulance. The Ministry has directly formed a teamwork to activate the National Health Emergency Plan for the Medical Response & Public Health Sector at the central level and in the three Governorates. The rotation has been started directly, activating the MOH Contact Center partially during its regular working hours, as well as preparing shifts schedule for the administrators in the emergency plan and for the doctors and health workers in the health institutions in the Governorates expected to be affected by the cyclone.

On Wednesday (May 23), the climate conditions and its potential impact were discussed with the MOH senior officials and health officials of Dhofar Governorate. A decision was made to evacuate the Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Salalah (SQHS) precautionary. The treatment services will continue to be provided by transferring a number of inpatients to the Heart Center and Armed Force Hospital in Salalah. Other institutions have been enhanced by the SQHS medical cadre.

As part of the readiness plan, the preparedness of health institutions in Dhofar, Al-Wusta and South Al-Sharqia was confirmed in advance in terms of the availability of health cadre, all equipment, drugs and the medical supplies for routine work. The central warehouses in the Ministry were fully prepared to send additional shipments of drugs and other medical supplies to all the Directorates, Hospitals and Health Centers according to the activated supply plan, as well as other plans that have been activated for the engineering affairs, information technology and blood bank.

On Thursday (May 24), the Ministry in coordination and cooperation with the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) airlifted (30) critical cases for; premature babies, Children and adults in the ICU to Al-Seeb Air Base. Total of (62) MOH ambulances from all the Governorates was transferred these cases to the Royal, Khaoula and Al-Nahda Hospitals, as well as the referral hospitals in the nearby Governorates (Sohar, Rustaq, Nizwa and Ibra Hospitals).

In addition, (218) dialysis cases were airlifted with their families to Muscat Governorate to continue receiving their treatment due to the possibility that the Dialysis Unit in the Governorate will be affected by the climate conditions. Coordination with the rescue sector has been made to provide the accommodation, food and all necessary services during their stay.

The hospitals of Sadah and Rakhyout have been closed precautionary and alternative medical care has been provided in other safe locations.

On the other hand, the MOH Contact Center has been activated to work 24-hours a day. It played a role in providing the public with the accurate information on the health status in the Governorate, as well as the latest developments about the health institutions. In addition to receiving calls on providing health services and reassure the families of inpatients that referred to the other Governorates.      

The Contact Center has received many calls as follows: on Thursday 24/5/2018 (15) calls, on Friday 25/5/2018 (31) calls, and on Saturday 26/5/2018 (26) calls.

Due to heavy rains and watersheds, Dhalkhout hospital, Al Dahareez, New Salalah, and Tetam Health Centers were closed on Friday 25 of May, providing consequently alternative medical care in safe areas.

On Saturday (May 26), damages of the affected health institutions at the Governorate of Dhofar were reviewed and counted, and the efforts of rehabilitation to provide the service were commenced. In addition, the adequacy of all devices, medications, and equipment, as well as medical staff and services at all the suspended and working institutions was ascertained in order to offer them at the earliest possible time.

On Sunday (May 27), His Excellency Minister of Health visited Governorate of Dhofar with a number of senior officials from the Ministry to assess the health statues in the Governorate and review directly the affected health institutions. The Health Minister as well met members of Emergency and Health Crisis Management committee in the Governorate of Dhofar and was briefed on the activated emergency plan and the efforts exerted in repairing damages and restoring health services to the affected institutions.

On Monday (May 28), H.E. Dr. Darweesh bin Saif Al Maharbi, MOH Undersecretary for Administrative & Financial Affairs visited the health institutions in Dhofar to follow up workflow and work with the health officials on number of health-related topics in the Governorate.

On Tuesday (May 29), dialysis patients were returned from Muscat Governorate to Dhofar after the climate conditions ended. Moreover, the service in the Dialysis Unit at the Sultan Qaboos Hospital in Salalah and New Salalah Health Center started functioning.

Furthermore, the Ministry’s efforts are continuing to restore the service in the rest of the affected institutions at the Governorate.

On data basis, statistics of patients heading to the health institutions in Dhofar during the climate condition 24-26/5/ 2018 show the following figures:

70 cases at the Madinat Al Haq Hospital, 23 cases at Tawi Ateer hospital, 270 cases at Taqa hospital, 153 cases at the new emergency unit of the heart center, 50 cases at Metain health center,  11 cases at Halanyat islands health center, 103 cases at Shaleem health center, 33 cases at Sharbathat health center, 21 cases at Tosnat health center, 294 at Al Mazeouna health center, 189 cases at Al Saadah health center, 679 cases at Salalah Al Gharbiah health center, 530 cases at Oqad health center, 61 cases at Tetam health center, 315 cases at Thamrait health center.

the overall  referred cases to Salalah Armed Forces hospital reached 5 cases, and the referred cases to the heart center reached 50 cases, in addition to one cases refereed to Lifeline Hospital.

The coordination and coordination with the different authorities and other public sectors as well as the private sector, non-governmental associations and civil volunteers in the State impacted greatly the support of health sector with all its service, technical, logistic needs before, during, and after the climate conditions.

On light of that, the Minister of Health expressed his deepest gratitude to the various government authorities and the Directorates Generals of Health Service at the affected Governorates, as well as the private sector companies and the community sector, in addition to all people who cooperated and dedicated themselves in the performance of this national and humanitarian duty. 

The Minister also expressed his thanks to all the medical, technical, and administrative staff in all the health institutions at the affected areas for their dedicating  work being available more than 24 consecutive hours ( despite losing contact with them some times). The Minister thanked in addition all volunteering doctors and health workers, and all the doctors working at the Directorate General for Health Affairs and on-calls members in the Emergency and Health Crisis Management committee in the Governorate of Dhofar.