Retail pharmacy directory 2026
Pharmacy Chains in Oman
Oman’s retail pharmacy channel is led by a small number of Muscat-based chains that grew out of pharmaceutical import houses, while the Ministry of Health dispenses most prescriptions to citizens free of charge through its hospitals and health centres across the governorates.
Pharmacies are licensed by the Ministry of Health’s Directorate General of Pharmaceutical Affairs and Drug Control, which also fixes retail prices and approves online sales. Muscat Pharmacy is by far the largest banner with more than a hundred branches, followed by Ibn Sina, Mazoon, Scientific Pharmacy and the Al Hashar network, and each of these groups also imports and distributes medicines, so retail and wholesale sit in the same hands. Private hospital groups such as Badr Al Samaa, Aster Al Raffah, KIMS, Burjeel and Starcare run captive pharmacies for insured expatriates, and the Dhamani mandatory insurance rollout is enlarging that insured pool. This directory lists the chains, hospital networks and public bodies that shape how a brand reaches Omani pharmacy shelves.
~900
Licensed private pharmacies across Oman’s 11 governorates
120+
Branches operated by the largest chain (Muscat Pharmacy)
~70%
Estimated share of prescription volume dispensed through MOH facilities
~40%
Expatriate share of the population, the core private-pharmacy customer
Top pharmacy chains in Oman
Public, well-known names BioNixus studies at account and SKU level. This is an editorial snapshot, not an endorsement or a market-share ranking. Cross-checked against Oman Ministry of Health — Directorate General of Pharmaceutical Affairs and Drug Control, licensed pharmacies (as of 2026-09-03).
| Company | HQ |
|---|---|
| Muscat Pharmacy & Stores | Muscat |
| Ibn Sina Pharmacy | Muscat |
| Mazoon Pharmacy | Muscat |
| Scientific Pharmacy | Muscat |
| Al Hashar Pharmacy (Al Hashar Group) | Muscat |
| Badr Al Samaa Pharmacies | Muscat |
| Aster Al Raffah Pharmacies | Muscat |
| KIMS Oman Hospital Pharmacy | Muscat |
| Burjeel Hospital Muscat Pharmacy | Muscat |
| Starcare Hospital Pharmacy | Muscat |
| Ministry of Health — Hospital and Health Centre Pharmacies | Muscat |
| Sultan Qaboos University Hospital Pharmacy | Muscat |
| Dhamani — Unified Health Insurance Platform | Muscat |
| Talabat Oman Pharmacy Delivery | Muscat |
These are the pharmacy banners we audit in Oman
Launching an OTC, consumer-health or Rx brand through retail pharmacy in Oman? BioNixus runs shelf audits, pharmacist recommendation trackers and shopper studies across the chains above. Proposal within 48 hours.
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How retail pharmacy works in Oman
The Ministry of Health procures through its Directorate General of Medical Supplies and dispenses at Royal Hospital, Khoula, Al Nahdha and regional hospitals and more than 200 health centres, capturing most chronic and specialty prescriptions for Omani citizens; Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, the Armed Forces and Royal Oman Police medical services and Petroleum Development Oman run their own closed pharmacies. Private retail pharmacies serve expatriates, cash OTC, beauty and prescriptions from private clinics and hospitals, and they are unusually concentrated: Muscat Pharmacy, Ibn Sina Pharmacy, Mazoon Pharmacy, Scientific Pharmacy and Al Hashar Pharmacy each combine an import and distribution business with a retail network, so the same group that registers and imports a brand also controls its shelf. Muscat Pharmacy alone runs more than 120 branches from Muscat to Salalah and Sohar with central warehousing and its own delivery service. Hospital groups serving insured expatriates — Badr Al Samaa, Aster Al Raffah, KIMS Oman, Burjeel Muscat, Starcare and Apollo — dispense inside their facilities, and the Dhamani unified health-insurance platform is progressively bringing employer-funded expatriates into insurer-network dispensing with formulary controls. Prices are fixed by MOH, so chains compete on coverage, availability, pharmacist service and loyalty programmes, while delivery apps and chain apps have made home ordering common in Muscat.
Local
Omani pharmacy groups that combine import, distribution and retail under one ownership, controlling both registration and shelf for the brands they carry.
Multinational
International brands reach Omani pharmacies through these agency-retail groups rather than through foreign-owned pharmacy banners, which are largely absent.
Regional
Gulf healthcare groups such as Aster and Burjeel that run hospital-linked pharmacies in Oman as part of GCC-wide networks.
- ✓ Aster Al Raffah Pharmacies
- ✓ Burjeel Hospital Muscat Pharmacy
Banners, e-pharmacy & wholesale
MOH and university hospital dispensing, the Dhamani insurance platform and delivery apps that determine access for prescription and OTC brands.
- ✓ Muscat Pharmacy & Stores
- ✓ Ibn Sina Pharmacy
- ✓ Mazoon Pharmacy
- ✓ Scientific Pharmacy
- ✓ Al Hashar Pharmacy (Al Hashar Group)
- ✓ Badr Al Samaa Pharmacies
- ✓ KIMS Oman Hospital Pharmacy
- ✓ Starcare Hospital Pharmacy
- ✓ Ministry of Health — Hospital and Health Centre Pharmacies
- ✓ Sultan Qaboos University Hospital Pharmacy
- ✓ Dhamani — Unified Health Insurance Platform
- ✓ Talabat Oman Pharmacy Delivery
What is moving retail pharmacy in Oman
Dhamani mandatory insurance
The phased rollout of unified health insurance brings private-sector employees into insurer-network dispensing, increasing insured prescriptions at private hospital and chain pharmacies.
Chain expansion beyond Muscat
Muscat Pharmacy, Ibn Sina and Mazoon are adding branches in Sohar, Salalah, Nizwa and Sur, extending organised retail into governorates that were served only by independents.
Private hospital growth
New capacity from Badr Al Samaa, Aster, KIMS and Burjeel raises captive dispensing volumes and creates formulary-driven brand decisions outside the MOH list.
Local manufacturing and Omanisation
Government preference for locally made generics from Oman Pharmaceutical Products and National Pharmaceutical Industries shifts MOH volumes and pushes multinationals toward the private channel.
How BioNixus studies pharmacy chains in Oman
The accounts above are the ones our field teams and analysts work with. What a brand team typically commissions from us in Oman:
- ✓Retail audits across Muscat Pharmacy, Ibn Sina, Mazoon, Scientific, Al Hashar and independents in Muscat, Sohar, Salalah and Nizwa measuring availability, shelf share and promotions.
- ✓Pharmacist recommendation studies for OTC, dermocosmetic and supplement requests by chain and governorate.
- ✓Interviews with chain buyers and hospital pharmacy directors at Badr Al Samaa, Aster Al Raffah and KIMS on listing, formulary and supply terms.
- ✓Shopper research with Omani and expatriate consumers on pharmacy choice, delivery usage and MOH versus private sourcing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who licenses pharmacies in Oman?
The Ministry of Health through its Directorate General of Pharmaceutical Affairs and Drug Control, which also fixes retail prices and approves online sales.
Which pharmacy chains are largest in Oman?
Muscat Pharmacy leads with more than 120 branches, followed by Ibn Sina, Mazoon, Scientific Pharmacy and Al Hashar, with Badr Al Samaa and Aster Al Raffah running the largest hospital-linked pharmacy networks.
Do Omani chains also distribute medicines?
Yes. The main chains grew out of import houses and still combine wholesale agency with retail, so the group that registers and imports a brand often also controls its shelf placement.
What is Dhamani?
Oman’s unified health-insurance platform, rolled out in phases to private-sector employees and visitors, which routes more prescriptions through insurer networks and formularies.
What does BioNixus study about pharmacy chains in Oman?
Retail audits across Muscat Pharmacy, Ibn Sina, Mazoon, Scientific and independents; pharmacist recommendation studies; interviews with chain buyers and hospital pharmacy directors; and shopper research on OTC and insurance-driven behaviour.
Is this list ranked by size?
No. Entries are grouped by role and included because they recur in BioNixus Oman fieldwork and MOH licensing records; order does not indicate branch count or share.
Data sources & methodology
This directory aggregates publicly available company and channel facts — filings, brand sites, and BioNixus fieldwork in Oman. It is an editorial snapshot of the accounts we study, not a share ranking and not a substitute for NielsenIQ, IQVIA, or another syndicated feed.
Primary register: Oman Ministry of Health — Directorate General of Pharmaceutical Affairs and Drug Control, licensed pharmacies, consulted 2026-09-03. Company classification (Local / MNC / Regional / banners, e-pharmacy & wholesale) reflects ownership and role in Oman, not size.
- Ministry of Health Annual Health Report, private pharmacy and facility statistics, 2024
- Capital Market Authority Dhamani rollout announcements, 2024–2025
- National Centre for Statistics and Information population data; company disclosures of Muscat Pharmacy, Aster DM Healthcare and Burjeel Holdings, 2024–2025
- BioNixus Oman pharmacy audit and shopper fieldwork, 2023–2026
BioNixus sells account-level and SKU-level primary research that complements those subscriptions. For a scoped proposal, contact the team or use the form below. Email admin@bionixus.com.
Need pharmacy-level data in Oman?
Availability, recommendation share, promotional compliance and category share by banner — fielded in-store and by pharmacist interview.
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