MUSCAT: The Central Public Health Laboratory in Al Seeb, Muscat Governorate, will be opened on Monday, coinciding with the anniversary of His Majesty the Sultan’s Accession Day.
The Central Public Health Laboratory is constructed on an area of 18,155 square metres at an estimated cost of RO 18.2 million and is equipped with the latest technologies and advanced facilities.
The Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL) was established in response to the Royal directives of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik aimed to keep pace with technological advancements and modern systems and to meet the required needs under any circumstances.
The CPHL will serve as a specialised centre providing advanced laboratory analysis services, including diagnostic tests in the fields of virology, bacteriology, chemistry, toxicology and genetic sequencing. It will also contribute to epidemiological surveillance and epidemic response, thereby enhancing the Sultanate of Oman's ability to address emerging health challenges.
The laboratory will promote environmental health and ensure food safety through laboratory testing, respond to health emergencies, support the readiness of the health system, conduct research and studies related to public health and infectious diseases, ensure quality and implement national and international accreditation standards and systems, manage laboratory information and facilitate data exchange and effective communication, provide training, education, and capacity-building programmes for healthcare professionals, and foster partnerships and cooperation with national, regional, and international entities.
The CPHL’s will conduct tests for pulmonary and nonpulmonary tuberculosis, foodborne and waterborne diseases in addition to its reference role in tests for expatriate workers. The CPHL will serve as a national centre for antibiotic resistance and will supervise the application of the quality control system for microscopic diagnosis of malaria.
The laboratory prepares and implements specialised training programmes for medical laboratory workers, participates in epidemiological research and studies, and contributes to the training of university students, resident physicians, and graduates of health science programmes.
The laboratory is one of the leading reference centres in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, undertaking regional tasks approved by the World Health Organization, including laboratories for influenza, polio, measles and rubella, in addition to its role within the PulseNet Middle East network. It is also a regional laboratory for providing quality assurance programmes in bacteriology, and a WHO collaborating centre in the field of emerging and recurrent diseases.
The laboratory has advanced capabilities in molecular diagnostics and genomic surveillance, enabling it to support member states in strengthening preparedness and response to outbreaks, developing laboratory capabilities, and providing specialised training. Through these roles, the laboratory contributes to enhancing health security and improving the quality and efficiency of laboratory surveillance networks at the regional level.
The laboratory includes a number of WHO collaborating reference laboratories, including the Regional Polio Laboratory, the Measles and Rubella Laboratory, the National Influenza Laboratory, and a Centre for Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases.
The building consists of three floors, including highly secure laboratories with biosafety levels (BSL-2 and BSL-3), laboratories specialising in the fields of virology, bacteriology, chemistry, toxicology, newborn screening, genetic sequencing and bioinformatics. It also contains a lecture hall, a library, meeting rooms, and training laboratories in many fields to support the training and continuing education system. - ONA
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