TWO medical laundries were granted licences to operate in Bahrain in the thick of the Covid-19 pandemic.
National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) chief executive Dr Maryam Al Jalahma said the country welcomes more such investments in healthcare services.
She was speaking at a session hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham), which highlighted Bahrain’s success in ‘Building Resilient Healthcare Systems in the Gulf’.
“During the pandemic, we licensed two new medical laundries, the first of their kind in Bahrain, to handle laundry for hospitals,” said Dr Al Jalahma said.
“There are many support services in the country that are good opportunities for investments,” she added, emphasising the NHRA’s investor-friendly approach.
According to NHRA’s Health Institutions Regulation Department head Dr Hessa Al Dosari, the multimillion dinar medical laundries in Sitra and Riffa will help the country streamline one of the key services in the healthcare sector.
The NHRA approved the BD1.5m Capital Medical Laundry in Sitra in January and White Gloves Laundry in Riffa in July last year, while a third smaller facility – Martinizing in Salihiya – was upgraded and approved earlier in 2020.
“These laundries are well equipped with a large area and plenty of staff who are trained to treat medical laundry, which is different from regular linen,” Dr Al Dosari told the GDN.
“All hospitals and centres, even those used for minor procedures, must send their laundry to these approved facilities.
“We can ensure that these facilities follow World Health Organisation standards for washing and treating medical laundry, which includes segregation, sterilisation and cleaning.
“The most recent, Capital, is a hi-tech facility capable of receiving 10 tonnes of linen, with the capacity to double the volume if necessary.
“They have high-end machines and the first tunnel washer in Bahrain.
“They are growing in stages; initially, they received linen from hospitals and healthcare facilities across Bahrain, but they have now expanded their services to Saudi Arabia.
“This is a good sign because the country is establishing itself as a gateway for such services and investors.”
Meanwhile, Dr Al Jalahma noted that the country is open to private sector initiatives in medical waste management as well, with only one company equipped to handle it currently.
“We are looking for innovative technologies that can support health services, like waste management,” she said.
“Bahrain has very clear regulations on hazardous and medical waste management and we have issued clear information on ways to tackle waste generated during Covid care.
“Yet, I would like to say that there are great opportunities in Bahrain for companies that are interested to bring new technologies for implementation in the public and private sectors.
“We are looking at waste management, autoclave and other types because there is only one company for waste management in the country.”
She assured prompt assistance with approvals at the NHRA’s dedicated investors’ office.
“The investors’ office serves as a liaison between NHRA departments and other relevant business support agencies such as the Economic Development Board, Tamkeen, and other government entities,” she explained.
“Since its inception, the office had received 31 inquiries from markets in the GCC, Europe, and Asia for various healthcare investments. Fifty-eight per cent of queries pertained to launching new medical facilities, 32pc on pharmaceutical and medical device industries while 10pc were related to opening new hospitals.”
The investors’ office was set up in 2019 in response to rising interest in investing in Bahrain’s emerging healthcare market, which aims to provide support and guidance to investors seeking to launch a healthcare business in the country.
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