Muscat: The Central Public Health Laboratory project in the Wilayat of A’Seeb, Muscat Governorate, is 99 percent ready and is scheduled to open by the end of 2025.

According to Oman News Agency, the laboratory is one of the Sultanate of Oman’s most significant health sector projects.

The project, which costs RO 18.2 million and covers an area of 18,155 square meters, is equipped with the latest technologies and facilities. The new laboratory aims to consolidate the Health Ministry’s reference laboratories into a single location, enhancing diagnostic capabilities and improving response times to infectious diseases, health risks, and biological threats.

The facility includes three floors with high-security labs adhering to BSL-2 and BSL-3 biosafety standards. It also features specialized labs focused on virology, microbiology, chemistry, toxicology, newborn screening, genetic sequencing, and bioinformatics. Furthermore, the laboratory incorporates WHO-affiliated reference labs, such as the Regional Polio Laboratory, Measles and Rubella Laboratory, National Influenza Laboratory, and a center for emerging and new diseases.

The project is expected to enhance the current epidemiological monitoring system, improve the quality of diagnostic services, and support research efforts. It will also elevate the Sultanate of Oman’s reputation as an advanced regional hub in public health.