MUSCAT: The Royal Hospital unveiled plans to expand its adult and children’s emergency departments and laboratories, and to add 900 additional parking spaces in the upcoming period. Dr Aamed bin Khamis al Araimi, Director-General of the Royal Hospital, said in an interview with Oman Arabic daily, sister publication of the Observer: “We are striving to establish the Royal Hospital as a national benchmark, spearheading the transformation from a service provider to a system builder.”
Regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine, Al Araimi explained that AI applications are incorporated in most medical devices. Among the most recent achievements at the Royal Hospital was performing the first robotic surgery in the Sultanate of Oman, as well as the first remote surgery using a surgical robot.
Regarding the Royal Hospital’s strategy for reducing waiting times, he said: “By waiting times we mean appointments for clinics, medical interventions, and surgeries. The Ministry of Health has adopted several projects to reduce these waiting periods, most notably enhancing health services in the governorates. The ministry has dedicated significant efforts to providing, developing, and empowering these services. This also includes the distribution of specialised medical professionals who visit the governorates.
This has helped us reduce waiting lists, and we have begun transferring patients from Muscat to hospitals in other governorates in certain specialities. The ministry has also adopted a partnership with the private sector, which is considered a strategic partner in health services. Services have been purchased from the private sector, and patients have been transferred from government hospitals to private hospitals for procedures such as orthopaedics, paediatric surgery, among others.”
Al Araimi said that there is a plan to expand the adult and paediatric emergency departments and medical laboratories. The Ministry of Health, through the Directorate-General of Projects, is also working to increase the capacity of car parks at the Royal Hospital by 900 additional spaces.
Regarding colon cancer, Dr Al Araimi explained that it is a widespread disease not only in the Sultanate of Oman but in the world in general, and it is considered one of the most widespread cancers. Its danger lies in being a silent tumour, as the patient does not feel any symptoms beforehand. In many cases, the patient suddenly experiences abdominal swelling or bleeding. He added that there are many efforts being made by the Ministry of Health and other hospitals, in addition to the Royal Hospital, to raise community awareness about colon cancer and the Ministry of Health will undertake a project aimed at enhancing early detection of colon tumours.
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