Aster opens second robotic rehabilitation center in Oman, this time in Sohar

Aster Al Raffah Hospitals and Clinics has opened its second robotic rehabilitation center in Oman, expanding a program that started in Muscat to now reach patients in Sohar. The facility is part of the group's Walk Again Advanced Robotic Rehabilitation Centre initiative and is designed to treat complex neurological and musculoskeletal conditions.

The move reflects a broader push by Aster DM Healthcare, the parent company, to bring specialized care closer to patients rather than concentrating it in capital cities. Sohar is a major population and industrial hub in northern Oman, and healthcare demand there has been growing steadily.

Oman's Ministry of Health has backed the expansion, with Undersecretary Dr. Ahmed bin Salim Al-Mandhari saying the initiative aligns with the country's goal of "strengthening healthcare accessibility and integrating advanced medical technologies within the national system."

What's the news?

Aster Al Raffah has launched its second Walk Again Advanced Robotic Rehabilitation Centre in Oman, located in Sohar. The first center opened in Muscat and is described by the company as a flagship facility.

The Sohar center uses AI-powered robotic systems to deliver what the company calls precise, repetitive therapy. The technology is designed to support motor recovery by working with the brain's ability to rewire itself, a process known as neuroplasticity. Clinicians can also track patient progress in real time to adjust treatment as it goes.

The center will treat a wide range of conditions, including:

• Spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury
• Stroke-related impairments
• Multiple sclerosis and motor neuron disease
• Cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Movement disorders, including ataxia and dystonia
• Alzheimer's disease and dementia

Beyond physical rehabilitation, the facility also covers neurology, spine care, sports medicine, and mental wellbeing, aiming to treat patients across multiple needs in one place.

Why does it matter?

Robotic rehabilitation is still relatively rare in the Gulf region. Most advanced facilities of this kind are concentrated in a handful of urban centers, which means patients in smaller cities often have to travel long distances for care or go without it entirely.

Opening a center in Sohar changes that calculation for people in northern Oman. Spinal cord injuries, strokes, and conditions like cerebral palsy require consistent, long-term therapy to show results. When patients have to travel hours for each session, they often drop out of treatment early. Local access makes it far more likely they'll complete their rehabilitation.

There's also a broader signal here. Aster expanding this program to a second city suggests the Muscat center has been performing well enough to justify replication. That matters because it gives other healthcare providers in the region a proof point that demand for this kind of specialized robotic care exists outside major capitals.

The context

Aster DM Healthcare is one of the largest private healthcare groups operating across the Gulf and India. The Walk Again program sits within a wider trend of hospitals investing in robotic and AI-assisted therapy, a category that has grown quickly since the pandemic accelerated interest in technology-driven care.

Robotic rehabilitation systems, such as exoskeletons and motion-assisted platforms, have been in clinical use for over a decade in Europe and North America. Their adoption in the Middle East has been slower, partly because of cost and partly because of limited specialist staff trained to use them. The fact that Oman now has two such centers, and that the government is publicly endorsing the expansion, suggests that gap is closing.

Oman has been working to reduce dependence on medical referrals abroad, particularly for complex neurological cases. Investments like this one support that goal by keeping patients and their families in-country for treatment that previously may have required a trip to Europe or Southeast Asia.