In a step to keep pace with the growing demand for medical services, and to add a new dimension to health care services through mobile phones, Omantel Mobile, the mobile business arm of Omantel in coordination with the Ministry of Health has launched its new Mobile Health service to deliver health lifestyle guidance, advice and consultations through SMS and MMS messages.

 
This service is in line with the launch of Ministry of Health health awareness campaign  under the title "Let’s Rise”, which aims to spread health awareness among the community and to reduce health risks. Subscribers to the service will receive instant health information and advice regarding diet, obesity, diabetes,, men, women and children’s health and more.

Commenting on the service, General Manager of Marketing at the Consumer Business Unit at Omantel Saleem Ahmed Abdullatif said, “The launch of Mobile Health Service is part of Omantel’s efforts to provide our customers with value added services that enrich their lives. This service will provide health information and answer related questions about different health aspects”.  

Commenting on the launch of the service, Director General of Health Affairs at Ministry of Health, Dr. Salim Said Al Wahaibi said: "We thank Omantel Mobile for their initiative in launching this service, which is the first of its kind in the Sultanate. This will contribute significantly to the spread of health awareness among members of the community by providing tips on how to have a healthy life as well as keeping individuals informed on all the relevant health aspects to have better health for themselves as well as their families."

Al Wahaibi added: “This service will help us to educate and promote better standards of health at the community level, especially with the  launch of the new campaign “let’s Rise”  which aims to elevate the awareness towards the Non-Communicable Diseases and educate the population about the preventive measures that can be taken to reduce the health risks. In addition, the campaign will contribute towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle for the people in Sultanate.”   

The service includes a wide range of channels, that differ in content and serves different customers’ needs called “Your Health” channels which is a monthly SMS and MMS subscription in both Arabic and English that provides information and preventive knowledge about children’s diabetes and pregnancy diabetes . Subscribers can also get advice on psychological and mental health, obesity, diet, fitness and much more. Subscribers can enjoy this service by simply sending mhealth to 91177 for a price of  800 Baisa per channel monthly.

Subscribers to “Your Health” channels will also receive other free content such as “Breaking News.” These are SMS messages that are sent out whenever there is an important health national announcement, news or international news that is considered important to our subscribers.. The service also includes “Interactive Services,” which assists the subscriber in the calculation of Body Mass Index (BMI), and providing medical interpretation blood glucose levels test and provide accordingly daily water requirements, daily calories requirements, detailed food calories, nutritional information and meal plans. The tariff for this service is 100 Baiza per service. 

Subscribers will also enjoy the “M-Consult” service, which gives subscribers the opportunity to send their personal health questions, which will be answered by qualified physicians.

More information about these services is available on the company’s website www.omantel.om

 
Source: http://www.omantel.om/