Business & Finance Club - MUSCAT -- Marking the first ever Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the Sultanate's healthcare sector, the Ministry of Education signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with one of the leading private health centres, KIMS Oman Hospital. It was revealed by MOE representatives, Yousuf al Molahi, Director of Staff Care, and Hashim al Moosawi, Head, Employee Benefits, along with KIMS representatives including V M A Hakkim, Executive Director at the KIMS Hospital in Darsait yesterday.

Under this scheme, nearly 64,000 employees of MOE including teachers, and students across the country and their families are to obtain advanced and specialised medical services at reasonable prices in Oman, India, and other GCC countries where the hospital has presence.

Among others, the beneficiaries are to receive customised medical services for themselves and their family members with special package. A new concept called 'KIMS Health Hour,' which focuses on a year-long educative health sessions to all their staff and students at their different campuses in Muscat and other regions stressing the importance of preventive aspect, is also introduced.

This includes presentations, interactive sessions on various topics, hands on training on the first aid treatment, emergency handling techniques. KIMS will issue customised privilege cards to the MOE staff and their families and dedicate an exclusive contact number of KIMS' emergency centre.

Besides, an exclusive Students' Health Education Programme which will focus on the general well-being of the students through regular awareness sessions, screening camps and interactive programmes is another milestone of this novel venture.

"We are looking forward to provide our people with the best medical services to meet all their requirements.

The Employee Benefits Section of Staff Care Department of MOE is doing their best efforts in this regards.

We are sure we have chosen the right partner and will assure that we will carry out our corporate responsibilities at its best to serve our society", Yousuf Darwish al Molahi, Director, Staff Care, MoE said.

V M A Hakkim, Executive Director of KIMS added, "We are honoured to associate with MOE as their healthcare partner by developing this public-private partnership. KIMS, as a quality healthcare provider understands the demands of the society and is ready to meet the new trends in healthcare challenges of this region. This new initiative will be a benchmark for the health care sector in Oman."