The Ministry of Health’s vision is based on developing an integrated system of health care that provides high quality health services with high international standards in line with quality assurance and control system requirements as the  quality and safety of health care services are essential in developing the health system.

The Health institutions in Oman have contributed to improving the delivery of health services and simultaneously the level of patient safety. Moreover, the Ministry of Health including both public and private health institutions in Oman have collaborated with international institutions and organizations, notably the World Health Organization (WHO), to develop health policies, plans and interventions in various areas with specific objectives that operate in an integrated manner and contribute to improving the delivery of health services.

In this regard, the Sultanate was selected  as a WHO Collaborating Centre on Quality of Care and Patient Safety in the fourth quarter of 2018 as a tribute to the significant progress made by the country over the past 10 years in the field of quality and patient safety and continued cooperation with WHO through the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office. This Centre is the hub for developing and implementing patient safety tools, such as “Safe Surgery Saves Life”, “Clean Care Safer Care”, “Patient Engagement and Empowerment for Patient Safety” and “Reporting and Learning Systems for Safer Care”. 

    Oman is one of the leading countries in the field of patient safety and is continuously working to develop standards and practices in relation to patient safety. The Ministry of Health has adopted the Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Initiative (PSFHI) in 2015 with a plan to cover all hospitals under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, including private hospitals, within the five-year development plan under the heading of developing the health system and emphasizing the quality of provided medical services and patient safety controls. The following has been achieved in this regard: 

• (10) MoH hospitals have implemented this initiative (Khoula, Nizwa, Rustaq, Sohar, Ibri, Sur, Sinaw, Khasab, Ibra, and Al-Buraimi) and were evaluated and accredited by the WHO.

• (3) Private hospitals have completed the implementation of the initiative (Starcare-Al Mawaleh, Badr Al Samaa-Ruwi, Aster Al Raffah Hospital, Ghubra) and were assessed  and accredited by the WHO. 

• The initiative was launched in (6) MoH hospitals (Sultan Qaboos, Al Nahdha, Al Massarah, Masira, Jalan Bani Bu Ali, Jalan Bani Bu Hassan) and were assessed by an internal team from MOH’s Quality Assurance center

• The initiative was launched in (7) private hospitals (Al Hayat- Muscat Private, KIMS, LIFELINE-Suhar, Apollo, Burjeel, Gulf Specialized Hospital). Staff were trained in the implementation of the initiative using patient safety international standards.  

During the Patient Safety Global Ministerial Summit in 2016, the Sultanate has proposed to dedicate a national day for patient safety, which has commenced in 2018. Given Oman’s trustworthy reputation among international organizations, particularly WHO, it was recommended   for launching the EMR Patient Safety Day initiative, approved by the WHO during a meeting in Geneva, May 2019. This demonstrates the Directorate General for Quality Assurance Center’s (DGQAC) commitment to carry out its responsibilities to join in the development of the health services system in line with the future vision. 

The Ministry of Health, represented by the Directorate General of Quality Assurance Center, strives to raise awareness regarding the concept of patient safety and the use of international standards to achieve this, as well as applying all means towards its continuity in line with the requirements of quality assurance and control systems. Since the DGQAC’s vision is to be a world-class national reference point in the field of quality of health services and patient safety, and since patient safety is the key to building an effective health system, the ultimate goal of health care is to provide integrated medical service.

  Patient safety is a serious public health issue worldwide. Today, there is a growing recognition that patient safety and the quality of their care are critical dimensions of universal health coverage.

As a result of the efforts that have been made and continue to be made in the field of patient safety, Oman has had many triumphs, including:

• In 2017, MOH has been awarded the International Diamond Prize for Excellence in Quality, which is run by the European Society for Quality Research (ESQR) at a ceremony in Vienna, Austria, attended by representatives of 54 institutions from 43 countries around the world.

• The Ministry of Health received the European Society for Quality Research’s Best Quality Leadership Award 2018 as a recognition of the ministry’s persistent effort to advance the Sultanate health services, attaining a remarkable achievement on an international level.

• In 2018, Oman was designated as a (WHO) Collaborating Centre on Quality and Patient Safety. 

• In 2018, MOH shared Oman experience in implementing the WHO Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Initiative (PSFHI) and its positive and effective impact on improving the quality of health services in various hospitals in Oman where it acquired the best scientific poster award at the World Hospital Congress held in Brisbane, Australia.

Marked on the 17th of September of every year, this year’s  Third National & Second World Patient Safety Day with the theme "Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient Safety" highlights the most significant national achievements that have been accomplished in the field of patient-optimizing and health workers safety.  Additionally, the day allows for an exchange and sharing of the best knowledge to be presented to local and international experts with the aim of improving the work of the health system by raising awareness about the importance of health worker safety and its interlinkages with patient safety.

The health cadres are the greatest weapon in encountering any challenge in the field of patient services and their safety, and they are a wealth that cannot be replaced; they are the biggest aid to the patient, and ensuring their safety ensures providing safe and high quality health care services to patients.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted unprecedented pressure on health systems worldwide. A knowledgeable and skilled health workforce is critical for the provision of safe care to patients; therefore, strict adherence to safety standards to maintain the safety of both the health cadres and patients is required.

World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) 2020 Objectives are : 

This year’s WPSD highlights core themes related to the safety of health workers including: 

• Occupational and environmental safety at workplace. 

• Mental and psychosocial health. 

• Means and importance of following precautionary measures to prevent epidemic at workplace environment. 

• The significance of qualifying and training professional competitive personnel capable of countering pandemics. 

In this respect, we express our thanks and gratitude to our heroes at the first line of defense against the COVID-19 pandemic including medical and allied medical cadres, administrative and technical personnel, as well as all health care workers in the Sultanate’s health institutions. 

Dr. Qamra Said Al Sariri

Director General

Quality Assurance Center

Ministry of Health