Lawmakers yesterday lauded the decision to hand over the management of the King Hamad General Hospital to the Bahrain Defence Forces (BDF), stating that this would ensure professionalism and high standards.
During a meeting at his residence in Busaiteen yesterday which was attended by MPs, municipal councillors, businessmen and prominent figures in society, MP Adel Abdulrahman Al Mauwda expressed gratitude to His Majesty the King for transferring the management of the hospital to the Medical Corps of the Bahrain Defence Forces and putting it under the direct supervision of Minister of State for Defence Shaikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa.
He expressed hope that under the minister's leadership the problem of delays in the project will be resolved and the hospital will be opened to the public as soon as possible.
He also thanked the Prime Minister and the Crown Prince for forming a committee headed by Shaikh Dr. Mohammed to ensure that the hospital is run in accordance with His Majesty the King's directives.
"It is hoped that the hospital will run along the lines of the BDF hospital and with the high level of service seen at the Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Cardiac Centre."
Also speaking at the meeting, MP Isa Ahmed Abu Al Fatih stated that after major delays the hospital seems to be ready to be opened to the public in around six to nine months.
He described the hospital as "an urgent must to keep pace with the rising population" and expressed confidence in the BDF's ability to run the hospital smoothly.
"They have the capability to man the hospital and run it successfully," he stated.
MP Al Fatih also suggested that expatriate health workers including doctors, paramedics and technicians be employed to staff the hospital until there are enough Bahrainis qualified to fill these positions.
He added that seeing expats take up such high paid positions would encourage Bahrainis to enter these fields.
"We expect that the BDF Medical Corps will run the hospital as a civilian hospital along military lines bringing in the same professionalism with handsome compensation for the high quality of services rendered," Al Fatih stated.
He added that it must be made clear that this new hospital is not just for the people of Muharraq but for all of Bahrain and that apart from being a hospital it will serve as a teaching facility for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
By Alexander M. Arrackal
© Bahrain Tribune 2010
