Healthcare overview

Bahrain is very serious with regards to the health care of its Nationals and residents. The Bahraini government provides free healthcare to all Bahraini nationals and it has one of the most advanced healthcare systems in the Gulf region.

Bahrain has a modern, technologically advanced and comprehensive healthcare system and boasts more doctors, nurses and dentists per capita than any other GCC country. Furthermore the Kingdom has qualified Bahraini doctors, many of whom studied abroad and returned to their home country to practice medicine. There are four medical universities in Bahrain namely the Arab Gulf University, the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, the College of Health and Science and the AMA international University.

Healthcare is available through public and private systems with the public system being free or largely subsidized. Specialized medical services are in high demand in Bahrain and the latest medical surgical procedures are readily available. Bahrain boasts three stages of healthcare within their system, namely; Primary, secondary and Teriary.

Primary Healthcare

Primary health care is the conrnerstone of health care available in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Ministry provides the Primary Health Care services through 22 health centers.

Primary care represents first line of contact supported by good referral system which has been established with the secondary care. A free treatment provided for all Bahraini citizens while the Expatriate should pay Three Dinar (BD. 3.000) for each visit
A range of curative, preventive and promotive services are provided. The curative services include all variety of health problems, like the management of chronic diseases, acute illness, urgent care, minor surgeries, elderly care, sickle’s clinics in three health centers, labours services, oral health services, and home visits.

Preventive services includes maternal and child health, like antenatal services, periodic children screening, immunization, postnatal services/Postabortal, family planning services, periodic women services, premarital Services, and ultrasound examination for pregnant ladies. Preventive services also include oral health services like fissure sealant program, fluoride application, educational activities, maternal and child dental services, diabetics, elderly & clients with special needs.
Other supportive services like physiotherapy services, diagnostic services, pharmaceutical and social services are provided. Promotive services are provided through health education services in addition to community participation educational and promotive services.

http://www.moh.gov.bh/EN/MOHServices/Services/primaryHealthCare.aspx

Secondary Healthcare

Ministry of Health provides Secondary Health Care Services through several hospitals. The main hospital in Bahrain is Salmaniya Medical Complex (Public Hospital).

The Salmaniya Medical Complex is a multispecialty health care facility providing emergency, secondary, and tertiary care to all citizens and residents of Bahrain. The Accident and Emergency Department provides urgent medical care to the sick and injured.

Inpatient Care is provided at the SMC by admitting patients to any one of the wards according to the condition of the patient and type of the disease. Wards are separated according to specialty, and further beds are categorized by sex, age of the patient, and condition or type of the disease.

Patients who need care are admitted immediately to an "Inpatient Bed" as an emergency admission, while patients who need inpatient care but their condition does not warrant immediate admission are waitlisted and admitted on a date requested by the treating doctor or whenever a bed is available.

http://www.moh.gov.bh/EN/MOHServices/Services/SecondaryHealthCare.aspx

Teritary healthcare

Bahrain provides tertiary healthcare to those who are travelling to Bahrain as visitors. Treatment is provided under the public healthcare system if a Population Registration Card is obtained, however treatment will not be free for foreign nationals, no matter what kind of treatment it is.

You can apply by filling out an overseas treatment request form:

http://www.moh.gov.bh/EN/MOHServices/Services/Tertiary.aspx

Private Healthcare

The majority of expats in Bahrain voluntarily take out private health insurance and use private medical facilities. There are a few private medical insurers in Bahrain and their policies vary according to each person. There is also family cover as well as individual cover.