Staff Reporter
Muscat, Dec 20
The Ministry of Health (MOH) represented by the Directorate General of Planning and Studies held a webinar on Sunday on health economics and financing under the auspices of Dr Fatima al Ajmi, MoH’s Under-Secretary for Administrative, Financial, and Planning Affairs.
Dr Halima al Hinai, Acting Director-General for Planning and Studies attended the webinar along with a number of Directors-General and Directors from the Ministry and the Governorates.
Dr Al Ajmi emphasised in her welcome note the significance of health economics being an essential tool for planning and achieving Oman Vision 2040. Furthermore, MoH’s Under-Secretary for Administrative, Financial, and Planning Affairs affirmed the Ministry’s determination to establish an effective system for health economics and financing within MoH, thus promoting and uplifting health system competency and directing resources towards priorities.
The webinar is reflecting the continuous collaboration between MoH and the international organisation in terms of exchanging expertise and learning from international experience with regard to health field, pointed out Dr Halima al Hinai, Acting Director-General for Planning and Studies.
The webinar targeted MOH’s decisions makers with the aim of informing them about the importance of incorporating health economics within the strategic planning and advocating the establishment of an effective health economics system within the Ministry of Health.
Sessions addressed the Sultanate’s health sector demographic, epidemiological, financial, and social challenges that have become apparent during COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the importance of finding strategic mechanisms and plans to reduce these challenges.
Definition of health economics and its powerful tools to improve the decision making process in health sector were also reviewed. Moreover, sessions touched upon the significance of health economics in determining health priorities under the limited and inadequate financial resources that all countries of the world suffer from, including the Sultanate.
It should be noted that the webinar is part of the mission of the health economist Dr. Aaron Blackman conducted in collaboration with the WHO office in Oman and British Embassy to building capacity and developing competencies in the field of health economics and healthcare financing.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
