Under
the patronage of His Excellency Dr Ahmed Al Saeedi, Minister of Health, the
Ministry of Health saw the inauguration of the regional molecular PCR
(Polymerase Chain Reaction) laboratory in the North Al Batinah Governorate on 8th
April. The PCR laboratory is a joint CSR project, in coordination with existing
tenants at SOHAR Port, who will collectively support the development of the
project. The tenants include OQ, Oiltanking Terminals, Sohar Power Company, C.
Steinweg Oman, Majis Industrial Services and Sohar International Urea and
Chemical Industries.
The
establishment of the lab follows the MoU agreement of SOHAR with the Ministry
of Health is in line with the corporate social responsibility objectives,
further supported by existing SOHAR tenants.
Highlighting
the importance of the inauguration of the lab, Omar Mahmood Al Mahrizi, CEO of SOHAR Freezone – DCEO of SOHAR Port
said, “The current situation has
had adverse effects on people and countries across the globe. Therefore, we
believe that it is a shared responsibility for entities across all sectors, to
join hands towards enhancing healthcare services and contribute towards
improving the quality of services that are provided to safeguard the well-being
of citizens. This led to the decision to carry out this initiative, in
collaboration with our tenant companies and will have a positive effect on the
level of health care services that will be provided in general.”
Commenting on the inauguration, Sultan
Saif Al Sadi, Director General of Health Services in North Al Batinah
Governorate, said, “With the
increase in the number of COVID-19 cases across the North Al Batinah in the
recent weeks, the demand for having testing facilities have also arisen. The
PCR laboratory will reinforce the health system and is equipped with the latest
tools used in the field to prevent and control sources of infection through the utilization of modern and advanced technology. The lab is a testament to the
efforts of the private sector to aid Government directives, by reducing the
risk of infections and ensure the provision of enhanced healthcare services
within the community at North Al Batinah, for the benefit of the Sultanate at
large.”
The laboratory will be vital in accelerating
diagnostic processes to allow for timely treatment, with the average time to
conduct tests expected to reduce from 2 weeks to less than 2 days, once
operational. The lab will be equipped with the latest polymerization
apparatuses, approved by the Ministry of Health, to conduct the required tests
for COVID-19. The devices are also planned to include analysis capabilities for
other ailments, including influenza, hemorrhagic fevers and others in the
future.
The tenant companies have contributed to the
enhancement of the lab, through the provision of more than 8 of the latest
polymerase testing devices. This will enable the lab to conduct 600-800 tests a
day, as compared to 80-100 tests currently, in addition to analyzing other infectious
diseases, positioning it at the same capacity as the public health center in Darsait.
With the opening of the PCR lab, the average time required to perform the tests
are expected to decrease to 3 days.
For more information on SOHAR Port and
Freezone, visit soharportandfreezone.com
-End-