Bahrain cracks whip on medical sector

Health minister moves to eliminate negligence as he calls for probe following deaths of two children recently

Bahrain’s Prime Minister Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa has ordered a clampdown on administrative deficiencies and medical negligence.

The government does not accept any form of negligence that impacts the quality of public services or undermines the achievements of the government cutting across various sectors, Prince Khalifa told the cabinet at its weekly session on Monday.

All public departments must provide the highest level of service as per their core competencies and tap experts while tightening their internal controls to avoid negligence and shortcomings, Prince Khalifa added as he stressed the importance of effective management in upgrading the standards of services provided by various government sectors, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.

Eliminating loopholes

The health minister was requested to prepare an urgent report on the level and quality of the care and treatment provided by medical facilities across the country.

The report should also include the necessary suggestions on ways to develop the public health institutions and address possible loopholes and shortcomings.

Prince Khalifa called for “a transparent and impartial” investigation into the cases of two children who died recently, with medical negligence being cited among the possible causes.

The government will accept no slack in terms of medical care or services, the prime minister said, adding that citizens have the right to enjoy the best health services whether at government-funded or private hospitals.