Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) announced today that it is funding four new social investment initiatives worth more than $1.8 million aimed at strengthening health care, education and transportation safety in the Sultanate of Oman.

The Memorandums of Cooperation (MoC) governing these projects were signed at a ceremony held under the auspices of Mohsin Hamad Al Hadhrami, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals.

To support providing the best health services, PDO signed an agreement with the Ministry of Health to fund the construction of a new maternity and neonatal ward in Bahla Hospital. The new addition will help improve the quality of care for mothers and newborns in response to the surge in demand for maternity services in the Governorate.

In line with the Company’s commitment to backing the education sector within its concession area, PDO signed two agreements with the Ministry of Education. The first is to fund the construction of additional classes for Al Habbi school in the Wilayat of Bahla, while the second will cover funding a defensive driving training programme in co-operation with the Royal Oman Police for school bus drivers across the concession area, with a view to extending the initiative to cover other governorates. The program will help reduce school bus accidents, ensuring safer journeys for children to and from school.

Another agreement signed at the event was with A’Dhahira Municipality to partially fund the construction of a central slaughterhouse in the Wilayat of Ibri, which will elevate the governorate’s food safety and hygiene standards.