A PARLIAMENT committee has approved a recommendation to turn a private hospital into a government medical facility.
The services committee yesterday approved a proposal submitted by its chairman Mamdooh Al Saleh to purchase the International Hospital of Bahrain (IHB).
It comes as the Health Ministry backed the move, but has told MPs the decision lies with the Supreme Council for Health.
IHB, which stopped operating in June 2018 following years of being at the centre of a massive pay row that started in 2014, was reopened in April as the latest addition to Bahrain’s Covid-19 treatment facilities.
“Salmaniya Medical Complex, the Jidhafs Health Centre and the Shaikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sobah Health Centre in Barbar are all over capacity and this nearby medical facility could be bought for public use,” said Mr Al Saleh.
“It is a ready facility that only saw minimal maintenance for Covid-19 and with more enhancements could be easily turned into acceptable standards.
“Now is the time since the place is under the government’s control and it could easily reach a deal to take it.”
Meanwhile, the committee debated another proposal to give sickle cell patients special cards as people with disabilities.
Necessary feedback has been asked from relevant authorities.
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