AN excellent source of income, a good alternative for a declining oil economy, the health industry, if necessary infrastructure is made available for potential investors, will definitely pay dividends in the end.
Bahrain has and continues to be hubs of several businesses including finance and tourism, which have contributed considerably to the non-oil sector of the economy.
Recently, some specialist health providers from Turkey and Thailand have shown interest in doing business in Bahrain. In addition, according to National Health Regulatory Authority sources, three drug-manufacturing projects are also in the fold.
Compared to the population of Bahrain, both citizens and residents, the existing clinics and general medical hospitals, both private and public, seem to have the capacity to accommodate them. Some specialties need to be added to make Bahrain a class apart from the ordinary provision of medical practice. Specialised long-term care facilities and tertiary medical providers/hospitals that treat very particular cases using top-notch medical technology should be encouraged to invest in Bahrain.
Most GCC citizens head to Germany, Thailand, India and other countries for advanced treatment. These medical visits generate millions, if not billions, of dollars for the respective countries.
Saudi Gazette in its September 18, 2018 issue reported that the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health has spent more than two billion riyals on medical treatment for its citizens abroad in countries including the US, Britain, Germany and China. Similarly, Kuwait and the UAE have allocated financial support for overseas treatment amounting to billions of dollars.
If we become successful in attracting those specialist medical professionals to set up their businesses here, Bahrain would be another hub generating considerable revenues and creating jobs for skilled and unskilled unemployed youths. The move is also beneficial to the GCC countries and their citizens. They do not have to travel to those countries, paying hefty airline tickets, visa fees, hotel accommodations plus the medical fees.
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