A female nurse in Oman testing the blood pressure of a male patientDespite Oman’s increasing rates of noncommunicable diseases, its advances in the delivery of primary health care services have given the country extensive experience in health promotion and disease prevention. The country also has a strong tradition of multisectoral collaboration in health. In her keynote address at the international conference on Oman’s 2050 vision for health: quality care, sustained health, recently held in Muscat, Oman, Dr Margret Chan, WHO Director General, described this a valuable asset in preventing noncommunicable diseases, as addressing their root causes was beyond the role of the health sector alone.