HRH Premier lays cardiac centre foundation stone

Manama, June 10 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has unveiled the government's strategy to launch new specialised medical centres and recruit the best world experts for them in order to increase the citizens' options to be treated in Bahrain, and spare them the efforts of travelling and seeking treatment abroad. He stressed the government's constant keenness to upgrade the health sector through ensuring specialised world-standard medical and health services provided by hospitals and health centres that are equipped with state-of-the-art technology. "Upgrading the health sector is among the top priorities in the government's agenda, out of our belief that the Bahraini citizens deserve the highest degrees of care, given the fact that the success of the development process in achieving its goals requires a healthy society that is capable of meeting the requirements of growth and progress," he said. HRH Premier made the statements as he patronised today a ceremony to lay the foundation stone of the new Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Specialist Cardiac Centre in Awali. Covering 44,000 square metres, the new health facility will be completed in 36 months at a cost of BD 40 million. HRH Premier asserted that the new Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Specialist Cardiac Centre represents an added value facility for health and therapeutic services in Bahrain, and a new medical milestone that reflects the extent of the kingdom's progress in the field of health and medical care. He said that the development process of Kingdom's health sector is going ahead according to a strategy aiming to make Bahrain a world-standard regional centre for health care and therapeutic tourism, which, he explained, will increase the contributions of the sector as a tributary to the national economy. It will also provide more treatments options in Bahrain that match world standards. Ensuring the best health and social care for patients and enhancing public health are the guiding principles of the government's continuous efforts to adopt quality projects to maintain the sustainability of health services through the establishment of specialised medical centres that offer the best treatment systems for patients. HRH the Prime Minister expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) for financing the project, within the framework of GCC Development Programme, praising ADFD's support to development programmes. HRH Premier extended utmost thanks and appreciation to brotherly UAE's leadership, government and people for its supportive stances towards the kingdom, which, he asserted, reflects the solid fraternal ties bonding Bahraini and UAE leaders and peoples. He also paid tribute to those in charge of the new Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Specialist Cardiac Centre for their efforts and contributions, wishing them further success. Earlier, President of the Supreme Council for Health Lieutenant-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa delivered a statement in which he extended sincere thanks and gratitude to HRH Premier and the leadership for their incessant interest in and close follow-up on health projects, as the best means to achieve the goals of sustainable human development. He said that the new Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Specialist Cardiac Centre in Awali had been a dream for many years, noting that the dream has come true thanks to the directives of HRH the Prime Minister during His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's prosperous era. He credited HRH Premier for the project, explaining that he had directed the relevant sides to design it and put in place all its requirements. He affirmed that the new Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Specialist Cardiac Centre represents a giant leap regarding the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac patients in Bahrain, noting that the present centre in the Military Hospital needs expansion as it receives many patients from Bahrain and abroad. Expected to open in first half of 2018, the medical milestone includes in its ground floor outpatient clinics, a department of radiology and imaging, a pharmacy, physiotherapy and sterilisation wards, in addition to parking lots and other services. The second floor comprises the operation theatres, intensive care units (ICU) and the lab, in addition to other wards for men, women and children. The new specialist cardiac centre has a potential for expansion to include more wards. Once completed, the new centre will have 148 beds, compared to only 68 in the current one, which will increase the number of beds to 24 for each 10,000 person after the expansion of the tumor centre in the King Hamad University Hospital. He pointed out that the government had embarked on major health projects since the beginning of the 20th century in an attempt to provide the citizens with the best services and care, which, he said, yielded positive results as shown in health indices. He indicated that the government spends BD 426 on every citizen, and BD 256 on every foreigner annually. Assistant Director of Military Works and Head of the project's work team Brigadier Dr. Abdulla Rashid Mandi Al-Tamimi also delivered a statement during the ceremony. He extended sincere thanks and gratitude to HRH Premier for his constant directives to upgrade the health sector, and keenness to serve the nation and the citizens. Then, a documentary film highlighting HRH Premier's interest in the medical and health and sector and the numerous vital projects he has inaugurated, as well as the services to be delivered by the new Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Specialist Cardiac Centre was shown. After that, HRH Premier was informed about the scale model of the new Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Specialist Cardiac, and was briefed about its various facilities and services. Then, he laid the foundation stone of the new Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Specialist Cardiac.