General assembly meetings of OMA’s affiliated scientific societies

February 2024

Beginning of general assemblies of scientific societies affiliated to the Oman Medical Association

The Oman Medical Association (OMA) welcomed the new year by organizing general assembly meetings for its affiliated scientific societies. The association values these societies as they play a pivotal role in enriching the medical and health environment in the Sultanate of Oman with new skills, knowledge and different specializations. This fulfills one major objective of the association as it has an important role in keeping pace with the development and progress in the medical and health fields. General assemblies were held for Oman Alzheimer’s Society, Oman society of Nephrology and Transplantation (OSNT), Oman Urology Society (OUS), and other societies.
The association also witnessed the holding of general assembly meetings for Oman ENT Society, Oman Radiological Society, Oman Dermatology Society (ODS), Oman Gastroenterology Society (OGS), Oman Epilepsy Society, Oman Neurosurgery Society, Oman Breast Cancer Society (OBCS), and Oman Society of Ultrasound in Medicine (OSUM).
In this regard, Dr. Waleed bin Khalid Al Zadjali, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Medical Association, mentioned the following: The bylaws of the Oman Medical Association allow the establishment of scientific societies in medical and health specialties. The Board of Directors of the association approves the establishment of such societies after reviewing its objectives and the extent of the specialization’s need for the same. The association believes in the importance of having scientific societies in different specialties and domains through which the goals and ambitions that the association always seeks to achieve can be fulfilled. The association has, so far, 48 scientific societies affiliated with it across all major medical and health specialties. Additionally, a number of new societies are looking forward to be constituted as their applications are currently being actively considered by the association’s Board of Directors who are reviewing their objectives and significance.
Dr. Waleed also added the following: the provisions and rules stipulated in the association’s bylaws, the civil/social associations law, and the regulations and decisions regulating the work of civil associations apply to all the societies, unless there is a special provision regarding it. The societies must aim to achieve all the goals stated in the society’s statute, support the Oman Medical Association, and expand its activity to reach the specific target groups by holding various activities, events, and programs.
Regarding the general assemblies of the societies and their Board of Directors, Dr. Waleed said that: It is the responsibility of the Oman Medical Association’s Board of Directors to review all documents related to every society’s general assembly meeting, and ensure their legality and validity. The General Assembly of every society consists of all members of the society who have fulfilled the obligations required from them in accordance with the society’s guidelines. Also, the right to run for membership in the society’s Board of Directors is limited to its members only, provided that one year has passed since particular member has joined the society. The society’s General Assembly will be convened annually based on an invitation from the society’s Board of Directors or a written request submitted to the society’s Board of Directors by a number of not less than one-third of the members who have the right to attend the society’s General Assembly. It can also be convened by the invitation of the society’s Board of Directors no later than in the middle of the second month following the end of the fiscal year. The society should be managed by a Board of Directors of no less than 5 members and no more than 7 members. These directors will be elected by the society’s General Assembly from among its members for a period of two years. The elected board will be approved by the Chairman of OMA’s Board of Directors, and the election of members of the Board of Directors whose membership term has expired may be renewed. The Board of Directors of each society handles all the affairs of the society and is responsible for all its work. Each of the Board of Directors must have four important positions: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The rest of the members may occupy vacant seats on the Council, provided that the President and Treasurer are always Omani doctors.
Dr. Waleed continued that: If the number of members of the society’s Board of Directors becomes less than the quorum stipulated in Article No. (49) of the regulations, the society’s General Assembly will be convened for a special meeting by the remaining board members. This General Assembly will then elect new board members to replace the withdrawing/withdrawn members. The provisions of Article 22 contained in Chapter Three of the Civil Associations Law issued by Royal Decree No. 14/2000 AD will apply to every society. It is also the responsibility of OMA to ensure that the societies duly follow the requirements of the association’s bylaws.
At the conclusion of his speech, Dr. Waleed Al-Zadjali confirmed that the Oman Medical Association is keen to strengthen the excellent relationship between the association and its scientific societies. The Association's Board of Directors has already formed a Committee for Scientific Societies, which is affiliated with the Board of Directors. The committee’s mission is to supervise the establishment of new societies, communicate with the existing societies as required, hold meetings with each society’s Board of Directors, and motivate and support the societies to fulfill their objectives.