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A campaign to build two new general hospitals with maternity units covering both the Northern and Southern governorates is gathering steam in the run up to municipal elections.
Initial proposals to place a government-run facility in A’ali for both communities have remained on the drawing board since 2005 due to concerns over the potential BD60 million cost.
Officials believe a change in health insurance schemes will ease the pressure on Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) and Jidhafs Maternity Hospital, both in the Capital Governorate, but cynical councillors are not convinced enough people will choose to go private to make much of a difference.
“SMC will continue being under immense pressure for general services with patients having to wait for hours to either find a bed or check out, alongside those having to wait too long for certain kinds of appointments,” said Northern Municipal Council chairman Ahmed Al Kooheji.
“The issue over maternity services is much worse. SMC is always full and things are not much better at Jidhafs Maternity Hospital due to pressure for beds from people living in all three governorates.”
He also alleged that ‘many women were forced to opt for Caesarean sections just to ensure they received a guaranteed delivery date and a bed’ rather than risk waiting for a natural birth and suffering the stress over finding a space on a maternity wing.
Former health minister Faeqa Al Saleh told MPs earlier this year that a new general hospital, covering just the Southern Governorate, had also been put on hold despite a plot being allotted in East Riffa.
Citizens will be enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme, Sehati, from next year.
There will be an optional health coverage for citizens, which will allow them to seek medical services in the private sector, subsidised by the government, with no less than 60 per cent of costs covered.
“Sehati may reduce some pressure on government hospitals and health centres but the issues remain over capacity,” added Mr Al Kooheji.
“SMC will continue to be under pressure until the planned general hospital in A’ali sees the light of day because thousands of families have moved into the Northern Town, Ramli Town, Buhair and Khalifa Towns, as well as other government housing projects in the Southern Governorate.
“If it costs BD60m to build the hospital today, that sum could be doubled by 2030, and prove even more difficult to implement.”
His concerns echo Southern Municipal Council chairman Bader Al Tamimi. He fears Sehati may only help reduce the pressure on people who are able to afford 40pc of the cost of their healthcare in the private sector.
“Maternity operations – our biggest matter of concern, cost between BD1,000 and BD2,500, so we are speaking about BD400 to BD1,000 under Sehati which poorer families could still not afford,” he claimed.
“Those with cash will likely go private but the underprivileged will continue having to deal with SMC and Jidhafs and, many predict, that the freed up space would be just 10pc.
“Someone living in Zallaq or Askar will continue seeking medical services in general from SMC until the new King Abdullah Medical City is open in 2023, and, again, we don’t know what lies ahead, whether it will be considered government property or private for people with Sehati cover.
He added that there is news that a new BDF Hospital will be opened in the Southern Governorate under the National Health Insurance Scheme, but no one knows what medical services it will specialise in.
“There are steps to resolve regarding the issue of new general hospitals. I believe having separate ones for Northern and Southern should be the priority,” said Mr Al Tamimi.
“Even having one for both as in the former plan is something we can accept, not necessarily in A’ali or East Riffa, anywhere would be good to serve both governorates.”
Muharraq Governorate residents, he added, are ‘fortunate’ to have their own general hospital.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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