Ways to enhance Bahraini-Egyptian health cooperation discussed

Manama, Dec. 12 (BNA): President of the Supreme Council of Health (SCH), Lieutenant-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, has affirmed Bahrain's keenness to provide the best quality health services to all members of the community. The SCH President was speaking while receiving here today, in the presence of Health Minister, Dr. Jalila bint Al-Sayed Hassan, Health Ministry's Undersecretary, Dr. Waleed bin Khalifa Al-Manae, CEO of Government Hospitals, Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al-Ansari, and SCH Secretary-General, Ibrahim Al-Nawakhdha, an Egyptian delegation, led by the Chairman of the General Authority of Healthcare, Dr. Ahmed El-Sobky, and including the Egyptian Ambassador to Bahrain, Yasser Shaaban. The delegation is visiting the kingdom to participate in the Manama Health Exhibition and Conference 2022. The SCH President welcomed the delegation, and commended the efforts being exerted by the two sides to strengthen the fraternal relations and cooperation between the two countries, especially in the medical field. The Egyptian delegation was briefed on the Kingdom's experience in implementing the Health Insurance System which they praised, and commended its role in developing health services in the kingdom. The two sides stressed the need to continue joint cooperation across various health fields, as well as activate the memoranda of understanding signed between the two countries. They also underlined the importance of cooperation in the field of health insurance to benefit from the two countries' expertise and find ways to create revenues for the Health Insurance Programme with the aim of ensuring the sustainability of the system without imposing any financial burdens on the citizens. They also highlighted the importance of creating a partnership between the two countries in the field of managing hospitals and primary health care centres, enhancing cooperation among government agencies in the field of unified procurement of medicines and setting standards for the inclusion of medicines in the drug guide, in addition to cooperation in the field of genetic studies and methods of analysis to improve the quality of treatment and the optimal use of medicines. Members of the Egyptian delegation expressed thanks and appreciation to the SCH President for the warm welcome and hospitality, wishing the Bahraini health sector further progress. They also expressed their country's keenness to consolidate its ongoing cooperation with Bahrain across various health fields. The delegation visited the Salmaniya Medical Complex, the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) Health Centre in Hidd and the King Hamad University Hospitals, where they were informed about Bahrain's health services.