OMA Hospital becomes functional

Muscat: The health unit run by Oman Medical Association started offering services on Monday by taking in patients at the temporary Hospital for Coronavirus management. The 24/7 hospital has 24 hours ambulance service but there is criteria for admission. “The admission is approved by the hospital board of directors, who are also OMA board members. The appointment is meant for those referral patients who have mild to moderate symptoms of Covid-19 as well as suspected cases who are waiting for the results,” said Dr Waleed al Zedjali, Chairman of Oman Medical Association. [embed]https://soundcloud.com/oman-observer-166365648/oman-medical-association[/embed] The hospital was inaugurated by the Minister of Health, Dr Ahmed al Saidi on Sunday.  The first group of admitted patients is from Al Nahda Hospital. “We have had training process for the staff – doctors, nursing staff, paramedics, the cleaners and logistic staff – to avoid any cross infection.  The medical committee takes care of the admission patients and day to day management of the hospital in maintaining the quality and care of the hospital, there is also infection control team, the nursing committee already has experience in covid-19 management,” explained Dr Waleed. More than 96 per cent of the volunteering medical professionals are Omanis, while some of them will be working part time, there is a core team that will work full time by taking two weeks leave from their workplace to relieve the pressure on Al Nahda Hospital that admits Covid-19 patients in addition to the Royal Hospital that takes care of complicated Covid-19 cases. “We follow international protocol in every aspect of management at this Covid-19 hospital.  But for the first three weeks we will be transferring the critical cases to Royal Hospital and Al Nahda Hospital.  After this period we will be taking care of the cases. We have already made an agreement with the Ministry of Health that we will only take referral patients, which right now is from Al Nahda,” explained Dr Waleed. The chairman thanked the various organisations that helped this venture reach the operational stage.