The kingdom has achieved 100 per cent Bahrainisation in primary healthcare centres, while about 88 per cent of doctors and nurses in government hospitals are also nationals.
Health Minister Dr Jalila Al Sayyed yesterday described the figures as ‘among the highest in the region’, stressing that investing in national medical talent remains a top government priority.
More than 500 doctors are currently enrolled in residency programmes in Bahrain, mainly at Salmaniya Medical Complex and the Royal Medical Services. She also highlighted an increase in residency programme budgets from BD4.3 million in 2023 to nearly BD17m in 2025.
Dr Al Sayyed stressed that the sustainability of Bahrain’s healthcare system depends on empowering and retaining Bahraini professionals.
She added that the government is committed to strengthening the health sector ‘with the hands of Bahraini competencies’, describing national doctors and nurses as the country’s most valuable healthcare asset.
“The Bahraini doctor is our real wealth and the most important guarantee for the sustainability of the health system,” she noted, while responding to parliamentary questions by MP Jalila Al Sayed and First Deputy Speaker Abdulnabi Salman.
She pledged continued co-operation with Parliament and both the public and private sectors to keep national talent at the forefront of healthcare delivery.
The minister revealed that since the start of the current legislative term in December 2022, more than 2,684 health-sector employees have been promoted in co-ordination with the Civil Service Commission, including more than 480 doctors working in primary healthcare centres and government hospitals.
“Promotions are ongoing in accordance with legal frameworks, financial allocations and approved performance evaluations,” Dr Al Sayyed said.
She noted that the number of doctors needed is determined based on multiple studies, including international benchmarks, alongside analyses by specialised consultancy firms and workforce planning by the Supreme Council of Health.
Providing key service figures, the minister said primary healthcare centres recorded 5,274,184 visits in 2024, clarifying that these numbers reflect visits rather than individual patients.
“On average, a Bahraini patient visits primary care four times a year, compared with one visit annually for an insured non-Bahraini,” she explained.
Dr Al Sayyed said doctors are redistributed among health centres using clear criteria, including service demand, population density and prevalent diseases, while parallel investments continue in on-the-job training, career development and academic pathways, including for allied health professions.
She also highlighted the expansion of diagnostic services, noting that radiology now operates 24 hours a day in several centres, with plans to extend round-the-clock services across all governorates.
She pointed to a clear national strategy to strengthen local capacity, with a major expansion in residency and training programmes.
“The number of doctors in training rose from 83 in 2023 to more than 700 in 2024 and 2025,” she said, covering residency, fellowship, specialised nursing and dentistry programmes, supported by Tamkeen.
Dr Al Sayyed added that health infrastructure projects, including new and expanded specialist centres, are creating additional opportunities for Bahraini professionals. Since the start of the legislative term, more than 600 medical jobs have been filled across government hospitals and primary care centres.
“Our vision is clear,” the minister said. “A strong, sustainable healthcare system built on highly trained Bahraini professionals who are empowered to lead the sector today and into the future.”
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