THE newly-improved Accident and Emergency Department at Bahrain’s biggest government hospital has been officially unveiled after a major expansion.
It has increased the capacity of beds from 80 to 120 as well as added seven consultation rooms, 15 recovery rooms, five triage rooms and three treatment rooms, in addition to a separate unit for children and a waiting area for up to 120 people.
Supreme Council for Health president Lieutenant General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa opened the revamped department at Salmaniya Medical Complex yesterday.
The inauguration ceremony was held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
Health Minister Dr Jalila Al Sayyed, Government Hospitals board of trustees chairman Shaikh Hesham bin Abdulaziz Al Khalifa and its CEO Dr Ahmed Al Ansari were present.
Dr Shaikh Mohammed praised the directives of His Majesty King Hamad and the support of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for the health sector in Bahrain.
He also paid tribute to all those in charge of the expansion project and said it reflects the interest of the kingdom and its government in developing the health sector.
The Health Minister said the expanded department adds to the government’s initiatives to improve health services and praised Bahrain’s medical staff in ensuring the provision of comprehensive, sustainable and high-quality services to citizens and residents.
The expansion shows the government’s unwavering interest in the citizens, the ultimate goal of the development process, Shaikh Hesham said.
Dr Al Ansari noted that the department is one of the centres of excellence at government hospitals and highlighted its pivotal role in meeting the medical needs of patients, whose number reaches 1,300 per day.
The expansion is part of a 10-year strategic plan for the hospital which includes seven new specialty clinics and massive revamps to existing facilities.
The then Health Minister Faeqa Al Saleh told the Shura Council in writing last year that the expansion work has been divided into short-term and long-term targets that would be achieved according to set time frames.
“Under the short-term strategy, we will have four new operation theatres covering all specialisations besides renewing the cardiac catheterisation unit that we expect to reopen soon,” she had said as reported in the GDN.
“In the long-run, the new clinics will be dedicated to paediatrics, geriatric, diabetes, ophthalmology, sickle cell disease, neurology and ENT.”
The minister had said an ambitious plan to reduce waiting periods had also been introduced.
A multi-storey car park building was added to the hospital in 2020. The building was constructed on a 7,410sqm plot of land, and can accommodate 600 vehicles.
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