Procedures for establishing a centre for spinal cord surgeries began to take effect recently. The centre will be set up in the Wilayat of Saham in the Batinah region, said Murtadha al Jamalani, one of the officials concerned with the project. The centre will be the first Omani-German venture of its kind to offer specialised treatment for people who meet with road accidents, sports injuries and occupational accidents.
In a statement to Oman News Agency (ONA), Al Jamalani said the company in charge of the centre is registered at the Commerce and Industry Ministry under the name of “Omani-German Health Projects Company.” The centre will be the first project to be undertaken by the newly established company.
Al Jamalani added that work is under way to draft the working plan for the centre, which will consist of four departments for spinal surgeries, post surgery rehabilitation, a spinal nursing institution and recuperation.
It will include a special department which will look after complicated cases that need to be treated abroad. He pointed out that the centre will be of high quality as per the German specifications and standards related to the spinal injuries.
The centre will be managed by experts who established Isar Hospital in Bavaria in Germany. Construction works for the centre will start in the coming four months after completing the incorporation procedures. The centre is expected to be opened in 2013.
Al Jamalani affirmed that a special service to be called ‘express service’ will be accorded to patients or injured in accidents depending on the nature of the injury. “The Omani-German centre, which will be set up on 10,000 square metres in Majz Al Soghra in the Wilayat of Saham, will be close to the beach facing the new sea road.
The centre’s site has been carefully selected to serve citizens and expatriates in the Sultanate and the neighbouring countries,” Al Jamalani added.
“The idea of the project came after the growing number of injuries due to accidents and sports in the Sultanate. The officials in the Sultanate encourage the establishment of this project and its speeding completion as it will promote the treatment tourism in the Sultanate,” he furthered.
“There has been good response from the officials in other Gulf countries who showed keenness to co-operate and benefit from its services,” said Al Jamalani. There are also plans to set up a branch of the centre in Salalah in Dhofar Governorate, he added.
“The centre will provide employment and training opportunities for Omani doctors and will reduce pressure on the government hospitals. It will also save costs and efforts incurred by the government, citizens and expatriates in the Sultanate,” he added. Al Jamalani thanked the Ministry of Health, the Supreme Committee for Town Planning and the Royal Oman Police (ROP) for their support and co-operation to set up a centre for spinal injury in the Sultanate.
Source : omanobserver.om