Social protection

ILO supports Oman in fostering a sustainable and inclusive social health protection system

A conference on health insurance organized by Oman’s Social Protection Fund and Ministry of Health paved the way for building a consensual vision of Oman’s social health protection system.

12 March 2025

group of panellists on stage — ILO-led panel discussion featuring experts from (left to right) the World Bank, WHO, Ministry of Health, Social Protection Fund, and ILO, Muscat, Oman

Muscat (ILO News) - As part of its support of Oman’s social protection reforms, the International Labour Organization (ILO) is engaging with the Government of Oman to assess options for a public mechanism to close health coverage gaps and foster a sustainable health system. In this context, the ILO facilitated the preparation and actively participated in the Health Insurance Conference.

The conference, held from 24-25 February in the Omani capital Muscat, explored key functions and essential features of health insurance while showcasing different international experiences in providing financial protection and effective access to healthcare services, in line with strategies to reach universal health coverage (UHC). The conference convened 150 Omani participants, national experts, policy makers and representatives from international organizations, including the ILO, the World Health Organization and the World Bank. Speakers from various countries shared experiences from South Korea, the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Bahrain, Malaysia, Japan, Türkiye, and Germany, highlighting diverse approaches to provide social health protection.

Shabib Al-Busaidi, Deputy CEO for Social Protection at the Social Protection Fund emphasized “In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, we are committed to involve all concerned stakeholders to explore a consolidated vision for the future of health insurance in Oman that is equitable, sustainable and contributes to the goals of universal social protection and health coverage alike.”

During the conference the ILO delivered a presentation on social health protection as a rights-based approach contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals’ targets of Universal Social Protection (USP) and UHC. The session emphasized guiding principles from international social security standards, offering insights into inclusive and sustainable social health protection models, highlighting that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

The conference highlighted the remarkable progress achieved by the Ministry of Health of Oman over the past decades in expanding the geographic coverage of its facilities, shifting towards a greater focus on primary healthcare and effectively contributing to significant health gains. Reflexions on health insurance started a decade ago in the Sultanate of Oman in view of the difficulty for the national health service to offer affordable access to non-Omanis who live and work in the country. The creation and operationalization of a national Social Protection Fund which started operating in 2024 following landmark reforms adopted by Oman in recent years, and a move towards a greater separation of purchasing and providing functions within the Ministry of Health offer new opportunities in this respect.

Lou Tessier, ILO Social Health Protection Specialist, highlighted: «The Sultanate of Oman is showing again its strong commitment to extend social protection and to foster collaboration across social and health policies that, together, produce well-being for all. We look forward to supporting the next steps.»

a woman speaking on a lecturn — Salma Awad Elgamal, ILO Social Health Protection Officer, leading an interactive group discussion on Oman’s health protection system challenges and reform solutions, Muscat, Oman

In recent years, the introduction of mandatory private health insurance for non-Omanis was considered, reflecting the broader Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) trend of expanding social health protection through private insurance, as documented in the recent ILO regional report ‘Social protection for migrant workers in countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC)’. Such approaches require careful assessment, as they risk creating a dual healthcare system, weakening solidarity, deepening inequalities, and increasing inefficiencies. The ILO is increasingly engaging in this area as part of a broader strategy to support adequate social protection coverage of workers in the GCC, through STREAM, a new initiative supported by the Swiss Development Cooperation.

Luca Pellerano, ILO Senior Regional Social Protection Specialist, leading a panel discussion on day one of the conference, Muscat, Oman

Luca Pellerano, ILO Senior Regional Social Protection Specialist, noted that “Establishing a sustainable and fair social health protection financing model that guarantees inclusivity for all, including migrant workers is crucial for the GCC region. This need becomes even more pressing amid rising healthcare costs, shifting demographics and rapid pace of technological advancement, which will continue to shape future health needs landscape.”

In a tripartite meeting with ILO constituents - including representatives from the Ministry of Labour, the General Federation of Oman’s workers and the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry- participants expressed their views and guidance on the process looking forward. All parties recognize the need for closing coverage gaps, addressing the increase in labour complaints related to healthcare costs and developing a coherent vision to avoid duplications and overlaps in the future. They also emphasized the importance of inclusive and well-structured health financing mechanisms, contributing to Oman’s journey toward universal and equitable social health protection.