The Daily Tribune, 16 April 2024: The Bahrain’s Shura Council’s Services Committee has discussed a proposal to amend certain provisions of Bahrain Decree-Law No. 21/2015 on private health institutions.

The proposed legislation aims to safeguard the rights of Bahraini doctors to establish private clinics, medical centres, medical complexes, alternative medicine centres or other healthcare facilities. The legislation will also allow them to practice in conjunction with other areas by supporting other medical professional.

Previously, specialist medical institutions could only be established by Bahraini doctors who were licensed to practice medicine or dentistry within Bahrain, with exceptions for rare medical specialties. However, licenses to establish hospitals are now granted to individuals, companies, or foreign medical institutions.

In the proposed law, individuals aiming to establish a health institution, along with their partners, must have a clean criminal record but exceptions are made for those who have undergone rehabilitation or received a pardon from relevant authorities. In addition, the proposal will allow heirs of the licensee to continue operating the institution, provided it is managed by a Bahraini general physician or consultant in line with the facility’s license. These designated professionals would assume responsibility for all technical and administrative aspects of the institution. Heirs are also allowed to retain the institution’s name if it bears the name of the deceased founder.

The proposed law also grants authority to the National Authority for Regulating Health Professions and Services to implement a national accreditation program for health institutions.

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