[Oman-L] H1N1 ("swine flu") in Oman

[Joachim Duester]

High-level Oman Panel to Tackle Swine Flu   
from: Khaleej Times, 7 September 2009

Oman has set up a new high-level body to deal with the escalating incidence of swine flu in the country.

The Supreme Committee for H1N1, whose formation was ordered by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said on Saturday, will draw up a comprehensive plan to tackle the disease which has so far claimed the lives of 10 people and infected more than 1,000.

It will be headed by the Minister of the Diwan of Royal Court with the ministers of royal office, interior, national economy, health, avqaf and religious affairs and information as members.

The committee will review steps taken by the health ministry, the National Committee for Follow-up and Management of H1N1 and other departments in containing the spread of the virus since its outbreak here at the end of July.

Meanwhile, local newspaper Oman Daily Observer’ on Sunday reported that Novartis AG, the Swiss pharmaceutical company, had committed to supply Oman with an initial consignment of 100,000 doses of its Celtura brand of H1N1 vaccine.

The health ministry, it said, had also entered into a separate agreement with GlaxoSmithKline to procure 20,000 doses of its H1N1 vaccine.

A total of 120,000 doses of vaccine are scheduled to be delivered in October and November.

Last week, the health ministry announced that it would procure enough vaccines to inoculate 600,000 people against an anticipated second wave of the pandemic.

In a related development, the manpower ministry said all precautionary measures would be in place at the Higher College of Technology in Muscat and Colleges of Technology in Nizwa, Ibra, Salalah, Musanah, Shinas and Ibri before they re-open on September 26.

The seven colleges account for some 6,000 students.

An official said the ministry in cooperation with the health ministry had laid down a specific action plan to protect students of the colleges against H1N1. He added that each of them would organise awareness lectures about the disease for the benefit of students, teachers and administrative staff in conjunction with the National Committee for the Follow-up and Management of H1N1.