Manama, Nov. 16 (BNA): The government’s trend to further optimise medical services and ensure citizens benefit from them was stressed today.
Speaking at the post-Cabinet press briefing, Information and Parliament Affairs Minister Isa Abdulrahman Al-Hammadi pointed out a recommendation by the ministerial council to improve health services including diagnosis, treatment and increasing the budget allocated for treatment abroad.

He said due to the lack of some medical disciplines in Bahrain, many citizens are sent abroad for treatment. However, he added that other alternatives are being studied, such as organising visits for specialists to be temporarily available for consultation in Bahrain. He noted that private hospitals are already providing this kind of service but what is being observed is the possibility to provide those services through the Health Ministry.

He explained that an amount of money is allocated by the Health Ministry every year for patients to be treated abroad. The Health Minister, he said, revealed today that a committee had been set up to study the issue in more details and provide the Cabinet with proposals on the most appropriate mechanism to adopt instead of the existing one.

The minister also pointed out the setting up of a committee to coordinate between all relevant medical parties and work out a unified mechanism for purchasing medicines in association with the existing one in the Arabian Gulf.

Al-Hammadi stressed HRH the Premier’s directives to the Works and Municipalities Ministry to coordinate with the competent authorities and ensure the best use of public amenities like parks and sea fronts. Concerning the land plot in south Sudan which is allocated for agricultural purposes, he said food security is top priority in the government’s work programme and related executive bodies. However, he pointed out, there are certain procedures which are still under study in this respect.

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BNA 1821 GMT 2015/11/16