WHO delegation on visit to Bahrain

Manama, May 31(BNA): Bahrain is planning to draw up a strategy to combat tuberculosis (TB) and ensure its eradication in a cooperation with the World Health Organisation. World Health Organisation (WHO) delegation arrived in Manama on a five-day visit to review the national anti-tuberculosis programme. The panel will cooperate, during the visit which runs till June 4, with local health authorities to come out with an effective strategy for combating tuberculosis. Health Ministry Assistant Undersecretary for Healthcare and Public Health Dr. Mariam Adhbi Al-Jalahma received the WHO experts and stressed Bahrain’s strenuous preventive efforts to contain the disease prior to its eradication. Dr. Al-Jalahma briefed the delegation on the pre-emptive early examination of expatriates workers and domestic helpers to ensure they don’t have TB infection. She outlined the preventive procedures and medical lab tests which are enforced in Bahrain to combat tuberculosis and avert any outbreak of the the infectious disease and in Bahraini society. WHO Liaison Officer Dr. Ibrahim Al-Romaihi stressed Bahrain’s keenness on eradicating the infectious disease, underlining the importance of cooperation with the international health experts to know TB incidence in Bahrain and root it out through efficient strategies. The WHO experts are scheduled to meet senior officials, visit Salmaniya Medical Complex, health centers and medication warehouses to assess the standard of services and awareness-raising plans. The team will draft a comprehensive report on preventive measure to fight TB in Bahrain and draw up a nation strategy which would enable the Kingdom to the infectious disease till 2035. The meeting was attended by Public Health Director Dr. Mariam Al-Hajeri, National Anti-tuberculosis Committee rapporteur Dr. Tawfik Nassib and the delegation members.