Bahrain's health services experience reviewed

The second regional workshop on the enhancement of the performance of health financing systems in the GCC countries (the expansion and sustainability of health coverage), today continued its works for the third day, in the presence of Health Ministry Assistant Undersecretary for Primary Care and Public Health, Dr. Mariam Athbi Al-Jalahmah, Health Ministry Assistant Undersecretary for Financial and technical Affairs Maher Al-Aunais, along with a number of the Health Ministry officials and representatives of the GCC countries. The workshop tackled a number of topics related to health financing system, including reviewing the experience of the GCC countries in providing health services for expatriates and visitors, in particular Bahrain's experience in this field, where the Kingdom of Bahrain provides same health quality services for Bahraini citizens and for a nominal price, which requires the ministry to seriously think about reaching different health financing means and to develop a comprehensive national health insurance program. Qatar's experience in the field of health insurance was also reviewed. The workshop also discussed strategies of providing the foreign labor with health services and avoiding any unnecessary services lead to financial waste.