Shifa Al Jazeera to set up 13 medical centers in Oman

Shifa Al Jazeera group, a well established hospital chain in the Gulf region, is planning to invest 100 million Omani rial to set up 13 medical centers over the next five years in Oman, with an immediate plan for two relatively large hospitals — one each in Ruwi and Al Khuwair — and a medical center in Barka.
The Saudi-based hospital chain, which has 700 doctors and 10,000 staff spread across five Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, will open its 150-bedded Ruwi hospital, 80-bedded Al Khuwair hospital and the medical center in Oman by March, 2014, K.T. Mohammed Rabeeh Rabeeullah, chairman of the group, told reporters.
"The contract for the hospital building in Ruwi has already been awarded to Alisco and the work will start within fifteen days. The work for Barka medical center has already been started and the three medical facilities are coming up simultaneously. We are investing RO 10 million for these three facilities," he added, while announcing the group's maiden health care projects in Oman. The Ruwi hospital, which is coming up in a nine-storied building, will have all facilities, including MRI and CT scan and specialized departments.
As part of its second phase expansion, the group has plans for hospitals in Al Khoud, Sohar and Salalah as well as medical centers in Duqm, Suwaiq, Khaboura, Buraimi, Ibri and Falaj Al Kabail. These hospitals and medical centers will be ready within five years.
"It will create employment opportunities for 2,000 people." He said the group's entry in to the country is part of a larger plan to introduce comprehensive health care concept across the Sultanate in phases. Oman expansion comes after the group expanded its operations in other GCC states.
"This expansion plan reflects how we are realizing this goal by using forward-looking research and best-in-class systems of operation," Rabeeullah added.