The Investment in the Health Sector Symposium (Opportunities & Aspirations) conducted today (Wednesday) under the auspices of H.E. Nasser Khamis Al Jashmi, Undersecretary of Ministry of Finance (MOF) at the Crown Plaza Hotel in the presence of a number of Undersecretaries of the Ministry of Health (MOH) and members of the State of Council.

The symposium, which organized by the Ministry of Health (MOH) represented by the Department of Investment & Financing Alternatives (IFA), in collaboration with the Public Authority for Investment Promotion & Export Development (Ithraa), touched upon many challenges facing the health sector. One of the challenges is demographic that is represented in the steady increase in population rates along with the increasing number of elderlies as it is expected to be 9.8% of the overall Omanis in 2040. Furthermore, the Epidemiological transition towards non-communicable diseases is one of the seen challenges, in addition to economic and geographic challenges.

Dr. Alin bin Talib Al-Hina'i, MOH Undersecretaries for Planning Affairs welcomed the participants in his speech and pointed out that the partnership between the public and private sectors is necessary in order to maintain health system sustainability. The MOH vision 2050 is intended to build 50-50 partnership as the private sector is expected to won and run 50% of health services particularly of high-cost services.  He added that the Symposium aimed at outlining the available investment opportunities in the health sector through the provision of medical services or pharmaceutical industry and biomedical technology.

The Undersecretary also stated that the public spending on the healthcare is one of the most important investment in human capital sought by all countries in the World.