The Ministry of Health’s Primary Health Care (PHC) institutions are the first treatment line in the Sultanate and the key for all levels of health care (secondary and tertiary), along with linking society and health service providers. The Ministry has committed to put the primary health care at top priority to reach the goal of health for all, stipulated in the World Health Organization (WHO) Constitution.
The Ministry’s PHC institutions throughout various governorates of the Sultanate provide many preventive, treatment and rehabilitative services, as PHC gathers both the client and service providers, Dr. Badria Mohsen al-Rashidi, Director of the Health Care Services Support at the Ministry of Health indicated.
With the emergence of the Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Ministry has taken several precautionary measures that include working in border outlets and airports to assess arrivals in the Sultanate and identify groups that need home or institutional quarantine or transfer some critical cases to intensive care in hospitals, Dr. al-Rashidi added.
Furthermore, informing PHC institutions about people who need a home or institutional quarantine, and following-up with them by phone to check their health condition or request their attendance if necessary.
The primary health care institutions are categorizing the cases with symptoms of fever and cold, or those with similar symptoms of COVID-19, performing the necessary examinations for suspected cases. Accordingly determining whether positive results should be under home quarantined or hospitalized if necessary.
The health services in all PHC institutions have been limited to cover only emergency cases, colds and expanded immunization of children. As for patients with chronic diseases, Dr. al-Rashdi explained that phone numbers were set to request from pharmacy personnel an advance preparation of patient monthly medications without waiting for the doctor's visit.
On the significant of the social distancing, Dr. al Rashidi calls on all PHC institutions in the Sultanate to apply this principle to reduce the number of clients, urging all employees to commit with the infection control measures and spreading health awareness about COVID-19.ONA