Fees slashed to set up private hospitals in Oman

Muscat: To bring more investment to the private health sector, the Ministry of Health slashed charges to set up hospitals in Oman. The recent decision of Dr Hilal al Sabti, the Minister of Health, also cancels fees for more than 12 services, including fees for setting up hospitals, ambulance fees, fees for approving medical reports, and sick leave fees in the private health sector.

Licensing fees for institutions have been reduced and a longer period given for the validity of the license. The new fees also cover pharmacies, pharmaceutical factories, registration of pharmaceutical companies, health preparations, and the licences of the Omani medical and paramedical employees to encourage Omanisation in private health institutions.

The new fees for issuing or renewing a hospital licence, regardless of the location is RO 3,000 instead of RO 5,000 in Muscat and RO 2,500 for outside the capital. To set up a pharmaceutical factory, the fees have been reduced from RO 2,000 to RO 1,500. To set up a pharmacy, the new fees will be RO 300 for three years, while it was RO 300 for Muscat and RO 200 outside Muscat.

The licence for a private health institution to employ doctors working in government health institutions have been reduced to RO 300 from RO 500. The fees required to obtain a licence to practice the medical profession for Omanis have been reduced to RO 20 from RO 100 and for expatriates, it has been reduced to RO 100 from RO 200 every two years in private health institutions.