BAHRAIN has all the key facilities to become a leading medical tourism hub in the region, according to experts.
However, affordable treatment, developing a niche and a better marketing strategy were needed to promote the kingdom as a one-stop destination for all things medical.
Local and international healthcare and tourism experts were speaking on the opening day of a three-day conference, ‘Bahrain – A Medical Tourism Destination’, yesterday.
The fourth National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) Conference and Exhibition is being held at the Gulf Convention Centre until tomorrow.
Supreme Council for Health chairman Lieutenant General Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa attended the event, alongside NHRA chief executive Dr Ahmed Al Ansari and Health Minister Dr Jalila Al Sayyed as well as other officials, dignitaries and invited guests.
“Conferences like these allow dozens of professionals and experts to come together to enhance co-operation in the medical sector,” Dr Al Ansari said in a speech during the opening ceremony.
“It also reinforces Bahrain’s position as a top destination in medicine,” he added, stressing that the kingdom was working hard to improve its health services.
“Hosting such events puts Bahrain on the map regionally and internationally.
“Leading medical professionals have gathered here and it’s an opportunity to share expertise to promote Bahrain as a leading medical tourism destination.”
The opening day included plenary sessions and one of them featured Economic Development Board Tourism, Education and Healthcare Investments executive director Munther Almudawi who spoke on ‘Investing in Bahrain’s Future as a Medical Tourism Destination’.
He said that Bahrain didn’t ‘need to compete against other countries in the region to be a top destination for medical care’.
“Competing against other countries is counterproductive,” he said.
“Each country can’t have everything, so we should develop our own niche and take it from there.
“We already have the infrastructure and specialists, so we have the capacity to better position ourselves in the region.”
He also pointed out that making it easier to travel in the GCC helps countries attract more tourists to the region.
“There are people who aren’t familiar with the region. So giving them the freedom to travel between countries when they do visit definitely attracts more people,” he said, adding that one thing the region is good at is creating.
“We already have most things we need to position ourselves as a leading destination for medical tourism, we just need to put all the pieces together.”
He also highlighted that the kingdom needs a better marketing strategy so that more people are aware about the services Bahrain offers.
“If people aren’t aware, they won’t come. Word of mouth isn’t enough. We need to have a national approach and a proper campaign so that people become more aware of the services we provide, as well as the high quality healthcare we provide.
“It’s also crucial that we develop our own brand and then make it international.”
The GDN reported earlier this year that Tourism Minister Fatima Al Sairafi said plans were underway to make Bahrain a leading destination for medical tourism in the region.
This included working collectively to draw up a marketable, promotional and attractive plan that will feature real-life medics and patients at the centre of the adverts, besides special joint campaigns with travel agents and tourism offices.
She added they are working to attract specialised medical conferences and exhibitions to Exhibition World Bahrain as it helps open the local medical market on an international level.
Exhibition World Bahrain hosted the Manama Health Conference and Exhibition in December 2023 which was attended by 6,300 visitors.
The current conference includes updates on medical regulations and accreditation standards, licensing procedures and requirements for healthcare facilities in Bahrain and the importance of medical responsibility within healthcare institutions.
Some of the sessions that will take place over the weekend include Navigating the Clinical Trials Regulatory Infrastructure, The Potential for Clinical Trials in Bahrain, Regulation of Herbal Pharmaceutical Products in Bahrain, Role of Nursing and Midwifery Society as Sustainable Resource for Health Care Services and What Every Healthcare Professional Should Know About Generative Artificial Intelligence.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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