Bahrain health minister reveal latest statistics

Manama : Health Minister Faeqa bint Saeed Al Saleh recently replied to a bunch of parliamentary queries, revealing some of the latest statistics and programmes of the Ministry.

The Minister’s answers will be discussed within the Council of Representatives’ weekly meeting on Tuesday before the country’s 40 MPs.

Her replies will highlight several matters such as treatment of Bahrainis abroad, training programmes and courses of Bahraini medical crews and other matters that are related to healthcare in Bahrain.

11 doctors for 27,000 patients in Umm Al Hassam

In her answer to MP Abdulrahman Bumjaid’s questions in regards to the situations of Sabah Al Salem Health Centre, the Minister revealed that “the hospital has 11 doctors in different fields and covers 27,000 patients from Umm Al Hassam and the surrounding areas.”

“Sabah Al Salem Health Centre receives an average of 500 patients on a daily basis. About 300 of them visit in the morning while the remaining 200 hundred visit in the evening. The first hours of the operation (morning) in the Centre witnesses heavy traffic, in addition to autumn and winter seasons, when footfall generally increases in all healthcare institutions in the Kingdom,” Al Saleh stated.

The Minister said that since it was established in 1980, many expansions and development works have been implemented at the hospital. These include the expansion of the nursing and medical records departments and more works will be executed in the near future to enhance the Centre’s services and ability to receive the growing numbers of patients, she added.

As for the number of staff, there are 23 nurses that are currently working at the Centre, in addition to a number of technicians, pharmacists, administrators and assistants, with a total of 59 staff. 

1,430 Bahrainis sent for treatment abroad in 2015

The Minister will also discuss during the upcoming parliament meeting on Tuesday the latest statistics of treatment abroad for Bahraini patients.

In her reply to MP Mohammed Al Maarifi’s queries about the number of Bahrainis sent for treatment outside the Kingdom in 2015, Al Saleh confirmed that “1,430 Bahrainis have been sent for treatment abroad on the Ministry’s expense in 2015.”

The Minister said 1,354 patients have completed treatment and returned home last year, while 76 remain in healthcare institutions abroad.

She also explained the categories of cases sent for treatment abroad. It included congenital heart defects in children, brain arteriovenous malformation cases, tumours that require bone marrow and other surgeries besides cases in which medicines aren’t available in Bahrain.

More detailed information will be reviewed before the remaining MPs on Tuesday.

103 training programmes for 676 Bahraini doctors in 2015, including 57 courses abroad

The last topic that will be discussed by the Minister in the Tuesday session will be her replies to MP Dr Jameela Al Sammak’s questions about the Ministry’s training courses and programmes for Bahraini medical staff.

The Minister said in a written reply that was revealed yesterday that “764 Bahraini medical staff took part in 103 training courses in 2015, including 57 programmes abroad.”

The staff included 676 male and female doctors, 49 dentists and 39 pharmacists.