The World Hospital Congress, held recently in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, announced the winners of the 2022 awards of the International Hospital Federation (IHF) in each of the seven Awards categories.

Four hundred institutions from 35 countries applied for the IHF awards this year. The Awards committee, comprised of experts headed by Prof. Lawrence Lai, IHF Honorary Member, and membership of Dr. Salim Al-Maskri, Director of the National Heart Center in the Royal Hospital, chose the won projects for this year.

The projects were evaluated based on five dimensions of healthcare delivery; health services quality, patient experience, clinical outcomes and equity access to health services, economic feasibility, workforce wellbeing, and the ability to sustain their success and clarity.

The IHF awards included the Oman Prize for Hospitals Operating during Crisis. This Prize awarded three projects that highlighted the innovation in providing health services during exceptional circumstances and crisis and focused on the human aspects, particularly the health services needs during all circumstances.

On behalf of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Qasim bin Ahmed Al-Salmi, Director General of Planning and Studies, presented the golden, silver and bronze awards of the Oman Prize for Hospitals Operating during Crisis to the winners.

The Oman Prize for Hospitals Operating during Crisis recipients are as follows

• Gold award: Shaukat Khanum Hospital (Pakistan). It is a tertiary hospital specializing in cancerous tumors. The hospital presented a project on planning to ensure the availability of medical supplies in times of crisis in developing countries. It also created a methodology to determine the needs in terms of the quantity, quality, and amount of stocks.

• Silver award: Manila Doctors Hospital and Circle of Partners (Philippines). The hospital presented an integrated system to deal with the recurrent climate disasters in the Philippines. The project included a methodology and workshops to utilize resources and work systems in the affected places, as well as finding solutions for the lack of access to distant hospitals and health facilities.

• Bronze award: Philippine Children’s Medical Center – Pediatric Blood Center (PedBC) (Philippines). The hospital submitted a methodology for dealing with the severe shortage of blood and increasing needs during Covid-19.

It is worth mentioning that the Oman Prize for Hospitals Operating during Crisis was launched during the World Hospital Congress, held in Muscat in 2019. The Prize depends on the Sultanate of Oman's policies that focus on human aspects of people's needs, including health services, food, education, and housing. Access to basic needs is part of the human rights that must be guaranteed in all circumstances, especially in natural and political crises or others.