NHRA Grants Nearly 3,600 New Doctor Licenses in Bahrain

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) has released its annual report, outlining its primary activities and achievements from the past year.

The report details that NHRA made 76 decisions to form committees to investigate various issues and implement disciplinary actions as necessary.

The Medical Complaints and Investigation Section received 358 complaints and lawsuits, with 20% deemed valid, resulting in 40 disciplinary measures against officials and medical facilities.

According to the report, NHRA has accredited approximately 23 hospitals and 87 medical centres within its accreditation and quality assurance framework, bringing the total number of approved health facilities in Bahrain to 110.

Additionally, 91% of accredited hospitals and 85% of accredited centres have adopted measures to meet the highest recommendations for primary quality standards.

In the area of medical devices and supplies, the NHRA reviewed around 13,000 applications for new medical devices, approving approximately 11,000 that met the required quality and import standards.

The Clinical Trials & CPD Regulation Section approved 14,000 activities for continuous professional development and reviewed four applications for clinical trials, rejecting two pending amendments and clarifications.

Financially, NHRA's revenues increased from 2.6 million Bahraini dinars in 2022 to 2.85 million in the past year, covering 95% of its recurrent budget.

The Investors Office received 54 inquiries from various regions, including the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Europe, and Asia, regarding potential healthcare investments, primarily related to the establishment of new medical facilities.

The Health Facilities Regulation Section issued 85 new facility licences and renewed 843 existing ones, while addressing around 5,000 violations identified by inspectors. Consequently, the total number of licensed facilities in Bahrain reached 924, a 0.4% increase from 2022.

Furthermore, NHRA issued approximately 3,600 new licences and renewed 8,700 existing licences for specialists and active doctors, increasing the total number of registered doctors in Bahrain.

The Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Products Regulation Section reviewed 743 applications for new drug registrations, 509 applications for licence renewals, and registered around 1,000 changes to existing medicines.

The section also classified 385 pharmaceutical products, with the total number of registered medicines in Bahrain reaching 4,200. Additionally, the NHRA licensed 51 new pharmacies, bringing the total number of licensed pharmacies in the country to 430.

The report also mentioned that there are 41 practitioners of alternative medicine in Bahrain, with the number of technicians in this field reaching 47.