The Ministry of Health (MOH), represented by the Directorate General of Private Health Establishments (DGPHE), and in collaboration with the National Committee for Narcotics & Psychotropic Substances, organized today (Wednesday) a workshop highlighting the narcotics and psychotropic substances in Holiday Inn Hotel – Muscat.

A number of medical staff including doctors, pharmacists, and nurses working in the addiction centers attended the workshop.  

The workshop aimed to optimize the use of narcotic medications and psychotropic substances in private health institutions and develop strategic plans for dealing with narcotic medications, psychotropic substances, and patients using these medications. It stressed the importance of self-assessment of the private health institutions to follow up on the consumption of these medications and psychotropic substances. 

The workshop touched upon the law and regulations for narcotics and psychotropic substances, the regulations of Controlled Drugs (CD) in the Sultanate of Oman, roles and responsibilities of narcotics and psychotropic substances inspection team, as well as the guide to management of narcotics and psychotropic substances in health institutions & pharmaceutical establishments.

Muneera Al-Hashmi, Director of Quality Control & Patients Safety at the DGPHE, pointed out that the field visits to private health institutions, including hospitals, rehabilitation & addiction centers and health centers, revealed there is irrational consumption of narcotic medications and psychotropic substances, losing some prescriptions related to these medications, dispensation of narcotic medications and psychotropic substances for the same patient in large quantities, and lack filling the prescriptions of these medicines in a properly.        

In addition, the workshop highlighted the principles for safe practices in the management of controlled drugs in both government and private institutions. It also identified the mechanisms of dealing with controlled drugs on all relevant aspects of CDs including ordering, storing, supplying, recording, monitoring and disposing them safely.