Oman has launched a national artificial intelligence project to screen diabetic patients for diabetic retinopathy, with the first phase reaching more than 43,000 people across 25 health facilities.
According to the Ministry of Health, the system identified over 12,000 high-risk cases requiring specialist care and achieved an accuracy rate of 91.3%. The initiative is designed to support earlier detection and help reduce vision loss among the 15% of adult Omanis living with diabetes.
The project has also reduced clinic waiting lists by 87%, cutting appointment wait times from 62 days to eight days. Diagnostic assessments fell from more than an hour to around 15 minutes, while operational costs dropped by 43.2%, according to the announcement.
Oman is the third country globally to implement the technology. The Ministry of Health plans to expand the model to remote areas and add screening for other eye conditions, including glaucoma and keratoconus. It also plans to develop a local AI engine trained on Omani data.
Source: Times of Oman
