PDO to hold the first International Conference on Occupational Health in the Sultanate

The announcement was made at a Press Conference held at the Al-Bustan Palace Hotel, and attended by journalists representing local and regional press and media establishments.

The Occupational Health Conference will be held by PDO in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Manpower, the World Health Organization (WHO), Sultan Qaboos University, and the Public Authority for Social Insurance, and will attract delegates from major companies, universities, and government agencies from GCC states, as well as expert speakers from other parts of the world.

Dr. Nasser Al-Maskery Chief Medical Officer at PDO and Conference Chairman stated that the conference aims at drawing attention to the concept of occupational health at the local and regional levels, and to follow international development in this field. He noted that health is a form of human investment and a requirement for economic prosperity. This, in turn, would necessarily entail the need to establish a mechanism of standards and best practices at the work place, and a sound legislative framework to preserve them.

Speaking at the Press Conference, Mr. John Malcolm Managing Director of Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) explained the drive behind launching such conference that is to address an issue so central to management of human resources in a region of rapidly growing economies. He cited an estimate by the International Labour Organization (ILO) of a loss accounting for 4% of world GDP resulting from work associated diseases.

Over the past years, PDO has placed considerable efforts and resources to promote and secure a safe and healthy work environment for its employees. In initiating this Conference PDO is seeking to continue a long standing tradition of social contribution to Oman's community by sharing this knowledge and expertise in this field with the rest of the nation. "We have not only been improving work standards, but have over the years been trying - with considerable success - to change the hearts and minds of our staff and contractors towards healthier behaviour inside and outside the workplace", Mr. Malcolm said.