MoH launches laten tuberculosis screening and treatment project in Oman

Muscat: The Ministry of Health, represented by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, has launched a project to screen and treat latent tuberculosis (TB) as part of the medical fitness examination program in the Sultanate of Oman under the slogan “Oman provides an opportunity to end TB”.

The Latent TB Screening and Treatment Project targets the most vulnerable groups, such as contacts of TB cases and those coming from countries with high rates of infection, to prevent latent infection from turning into active disease and limit the spread of the disease in the community.

Dr. Amal bint Saif Al-Maani, Director General of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention at the Ministry of Health, reviewed the efforts of the Sultanate of Oman in combating and preventing infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, in addition to the global and local epidemiological situation of the disease. It addressed efforts to combat and treat tuberculosis through global and national strategies to eradicate it and the steps taken by the Sultanate of Oman to overcome the challenges.

The project was launched with the organization of a training workshop with the participation of 200 participants from doctors, nurses and technicians, which aimed to train participants on the project of the latent tuberculosis screening and treatment program. The episode included several topics, most notably the epidemiological situation of tuberculosis in the Sultanate of Oman, updates to the medical fitness examination program, and the experience of the General Directorate of Health Services Clinic in Muscat Governorate in treating latent tuberculosis among expatriates. Healthier societies are stronger.

The Ministry of Health stated that the Sultanate of Oman is one of the countries with a low incidence of tuberculosis, with an incidence rate of 8.0 per 100,000 population in 2023. This increase is attributed to the high incidence rate among non-Omanis, who constitute the majority of recorded cases.

As for Omanis, the incidence rate has been stable since 2018. In 2024, 419 tuberculosis cases were recorded, including 331 cases among non-Omanis, in addition to 18 deaths and 3 cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis.

The ministry explained that the national strategy to eliminate tuberculosis, which it launched in 2021, aimed to reduce the infection rate to less than 100 infected people per million people by 2035, and focuses on prevention, diagnosis, treatment and promotion. Tuberculosis eradication is one of the most prominent preventive health projects globally, and is one of the main goals of sustainable development.

The program is in line with the goals of Oman Vision 2040 to strengthen a preventive health system to build a healthy society. The event was held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Saeed bin Hareb Al Lamki, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health for Health Affairs.