It is widely said that health is the crown on a healthy man’s head. Health is a quality everyone admires and appreciates in life. Today, there is an extraordinary focus on health in all indices of welfare in any country. Health is the parameter of the level of development of a country. Health for all is one of the essential parts of the system based on social justice. This is what Islam teaches. The world, despite different laws, rules and regulations, gives top importance to health.
Therefore most of the countries and governments take all efforts to provide integrated healthcare to their people as their basic priority. This service is provided by the state to citizens free of cost or through health insurance system to the rest of the segments of the society working and residing in the country. Therefore, the Capital Market Authority has made it mandatory for all those working in the private sector in Oman to have health insurance. This is to make an integrated healthcare facility available for all those living in the country.
It is important to understand the reason, feasibility and significance of health insurance as an advanced, important and fundamental focal point for a decent life of a person in this country. It is important that everyone is healthy and enjoys healthcare facility.
Providing healthcare through insurance is important. This is to ensure that healthcare facilities are available to all living in the Sultanate. Nobody should be deprived of this humanitarian service just because of lack of material resources or for any other reason.
Healthcare facilities such as insurance for all those working in the private sector, citizens or foreigners, are as important as air and water. It is their basic right. This approach should be appreciated by the employers in the country. This is the right of all employees.
There is a 30 per cent growth in the private health insurance sector in the Sultanate in 2017 compared with 2016. The health insurance premiums have also increased by 16 per cent to reach RO 134 million. The sector maintained its growth rate at 30 per cent until 2019. It all shows that some segments of employees and companies are aware of the importance of the health insurance.
These statistics are sufficient proof that there is a demand for integrated, quality and consist healthcare. This is a concept which needs to be strengthened. It is should not be optional any more. Instead it should be made mandatory for all companies operating in the country. All private sector companies and establishments should focus on this and adapt their conditions to harmonise with this requirements and approach as it is in mutual interest of both the employers and employees.
If the citizen or a resident employee of the private sector is brought under the health insurance umbrella, it will make them more loyal to their companies. It will also make the private sector more attractive. This will certainly reflect in the form of increased productivity which is the ultimate goal of the private sector.
The health insurance cover will help companies themselves in reducing their financial spending on treatment for their employees. The companies can keep this aspect in mind. Sometimes the cost of treatment of an employee can be minor. It may work as a shock absorber in case of a major accident involving employees.
We are confident that rules and regulations will be formulated to support this approach. Similarly, it is the duty of the private sector organisations to support the idea and help make everyone realise that health insurance is major human and cultural requirement. Interests of all lies in it and the national economy is the ultimate beneficiary.
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