Health Minister Dr Nada Haffadh was questioned yesterday at the weekly session of the Chamber of Deputies by Deputy Sami Qambar for the delay in implementation of Medical Insurance for Non-Bahrainis.
The deputy said that 70 per cent of the manpower in Bahrain are foreign workers and they should be provided with insurance. The minister replied by saying that the exercise will cost the ministry BD18 million a year and they are working with the Shura Council to redraft the project.
The issue of shortage of beds in the Accident and Emergency Department was raised by MP Abdullah Dossary who said that there are shortcomings in the department at the Salmaniya Medical Complex and asked for a separate Emergency department for children.
The minister replied that there is an average of 838 cases of patients who walk in at the Emergency department daily and all are treated.
She said almost half of the cases, of 48.5 per cent, are not emergency cases. She said the department faces the problem of finding qualified personnel and is planning to train and increase the manpower.
The committee will consist of six Deputies – Dr Jassim Hussain, Shaikh Mohammed Khalid, Mohammed Yousif Yaqoob Al Moz’il, Abdullah Khalaf Rashid Al Dossary, Khamis Mohammed Al Rumaihi and Sami Ali Hassan Qambar.
