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FROM THE WORDS OF HIS MAJESTY THE SULTAN
Speaking to people on November 26, 1975
‘His Majesty’s Wisdom’ Societies can only progress if they provide social welfare based on practical studies, technical research and applied experiments
MONDAY, November 9, 2015 / 26 Muharram 1437 AH
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Alcohol addiction in Oman to be studied
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SIXTH TERM FOR 2015
HM to preside over Council MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said will preside over the opening of the Council of Oman’s sixth term for 2015 at Hisn Al Shumoukh in the Wilayat of Manah, on Sunday, November 15, according to a statement issued by the Diwan
of Royal Court, yesterday. The opening will be attended by their highnesses, ministers, the chairmen of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura, and members of the State Council and Majlis Al Shura. -ONA HM sends message >A4
For the first time, a TOP THREE INSIDE STORIES
nationwide study to determine the true picture of alcohol impacted by it, is to be carried out
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Of these alcohol addicts, 99.3 per cent were males, while the rest were females,” he noted. According to the official, there has been a gradual decrease in the percentage of alcohol addicts among all substance users from almost 80 per cent in 2004 to 55 per cent in 2014. Difficult to estimate “However, this may not reflect the true situation because the total number of alcohol users is difficult to estimate because some are reluctant to seek medical care. Also, some patients opt for treat-
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ment in general medical hospitals which may not be reported to the national drug abuse registry,” he said, adding that this is why a national survey is necessary. In addition to the survey, there are some future programmes for treatment and prevention, including two treatment projects, one in Muscat and the other in Sohar, Dr Al Abri said. Treatment abroad Asked about the number of Omanis seeking treatment abroad for drug and alcohol addiction every year, Dr Al Abri said 30 cases have
MUSCAT: A new route connecting Ruwi and Mebela will start operating with new buses from November 22, as the Oman National Transport Company (ONTC) has revealed its new brand identity ‘Mwasalat.’ At a ceremony held on Sunday under the auspices of Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Futaisi, Minister of Transport and Communica-
tions, ONTC (Mwasalat) announced that 50 new buses will be delivered by the end of the month. Ten buses will be used on routes connecting Muscat and other governorates while 40 buses will be used in Muscat. Some of the new buses will be used to replace old buses running on the existing Ruwi-Wadi Kabir route. Different types of new buses from Mwasalat’s current fleet will be used on the current route, linking Ruwi and Wadi Adai. >A6
M I N I S T R Y O F H E A LT H
MUSCAT: Two Royal Oman Police (ROP) officials and two nationals died in an accident in Al Manara near Ibri on Saturday morning, police officials confirmed. “Two vehicles, one belonging to the ROP and another belonging to a company, collided in Al Manara, resulting in the death of these passengers,” an official from the ROP confirmed. >A6
Cholera caution advised Times News Service MUSCAT: Following a case of cholera being reported in Oman, the Ministry of Health has urged the people to observe caution. “The Omani woman who was diagnosed with the disease had visited Iraq recently. The patient is receiving treatment in one of the health institutions in the Sul-
tanate. According to the medical reports, the condition of the patient is stable,” a statement of the Ministry of Health said. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has already published a statement on the proliferation of cholera in 15 Iraqi provinces with more than 2,000 cholera cases having being confirmed, in different areas. >A6
I-CARE
Helping create a caring society through acts of compassion TARIQ AL HAREMI
tariqh@timesofoman.com MUSCAT: Lending a helping hand and showing appreciation for fellow humans is not on everybody’s to-do list but for Shorooq Abu Nasser, I-Care founder, it is a must. Today in #OmanPride, we feature this young woman who has touched the lives of many through her campaign aimed at distributing water to construction workers, street cleaners, gas delivery men and others such workers on the roads of Muscat.
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Investigators of the Russian plane crash in Egypt are “90 per cent sure” the noise heard in the final second of a cockpit recording was an explosion caused by a bomb. >A8
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ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI
reji@timesofooman.com
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Omani bourse behaved differently from other regional markets with a gain of 2.4 per cent in October, mainly due to better corporate earnings in the third quarter. >B1
ONTC gets new brand identity ‘Mwasalat’
REJIMON K
Russian plane bomb
Mena markets fall but Muscat bourse gains
TRANSPORT
2 ROP officials among 4 killed
Bakri receives official
MARKET
ELHAM POURMOHAMMADI
IBRI ACCIDENT
REGION
Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Bakri, Minister of Manpower, received at his office yesterday Palestinian Liberation Organisation member Dr Ahmed Abdul Salam Hassan Majdalani. >A6
addiction, and who is
MUSCAT: A national-level survey is planned to determine the ‘true’ magnitude of alcohol addiction in Oman, a senior Omani official has said. There is a need for a national survey to determine the extent to which alcohol addiction prevails in the country, and it is planned to be carried out in the near future as part of the National Strategy against Drug Addiction, Dr Mahmoud Zaher Al Abri, secretary of the National Committee on Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Affairs, told the Times of Oman. “Out of 4,955 cases registered with the healthcare settings and notified to the national registry for addiction between 2004 and 2014, 3,136 people were found to be alcohol users (63 per cent of the total drug users are using alcohol).
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#OMANPRIDE Aiming to increase awareness and encourage the community to show some form of appreciation for one another, Shorooq founded I-Care in May 2011, and proved
that by committing simple acts of compassion towards humanity, one could work towards creating a caring society. “I have always seen my parents donate something or talk about charity initiatives without mentioning the person in need or what cause they are helping,” said Shorooq. “They have indeed influenced my passion for helping others and made me realise that this will stay with me for the rest of my life,” she added, speaking about her parents’ influence behind the setting up of I-Care. >A6
been notified in which medical care was sought overseas during 2012 and 2013. Commenting on why some addicts choose to go abroad for treatment, he said, “There are several reasons behind seeking medical care overseas such as social stigma, more privacy, fear of being accused, and avoiding a waiting list.” The expert noted that alcohol and drug-related treatment is generally expensive and long but it is cost-effective. “The Omani government, however, provides it free of charge,” he added. >A6
Sharp N’ Smooth
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