Caring touch

A NEW BD6 million state-of-the-art custom-built medical facility in Bahrain, spread over 70,000 square feet, is set to open this year.

The finishing touches are being made to Royal Bahrain Hospital, a 60-bed multi-speciality facility on four levels, which is located near Salmaniya Medical Complex.

It will provide emergency and trauma services, surgical and intensive care units, outpatient and diagnostic services with special focus on minimally-invasive surgeries, reconstructive surgeries, critical care and rehabilitation.

It is the KIMS (Kerala Institute of Medical Science) group's second establishment in the kingdom, promoted by Indian medical professionals and entrepreneurs Dr M I Sahadulla and Dr M A Mohamed.

Chairman and managing director Dr Sahadulla said that the hospital is being built to international standards taking all aspects of patient safety into full consideration.

Features such as air exchange in a room, critical care beds with ventilators, air conditioning levels and operation theatres equipped with HEPA filter and laminar flow have also been incorporated to limit the spread of infection.

Dr Sahadulla, who has 45 years of professional experience having worked in the US, UK, India and with ARAMCO in Saudi Arabia as well as teaching in a medical school, added: 'We are practising doctors with know-how about patient issues and are well aware of what doctors need to be able to provide quality healthcare.

'We aim to take care of what people of Bahrain need, both in terms of medical care and the cost of treatment.

'We are adopting a practise of patient-driven medical care with a focus on maintaining wellness.

'Our medical facilities will also be catering to the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic population of the island with doctors, nursing staff and paramedical staff from Bahrain, India, Philippines and other Arab countries.'

The group's first foray into healthcare provision in the region was the KIMS Bahrain Medical Centre in Umm Al Hassam. It has achieved international accreditation from the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards International (ACHSI).

Subsequently, the team opened hospitals in Jubail and Dammam in Saudi Arabia, Wakhra, Qatar and a 50-bed hospital in Muscat, Oman.

KIMS Trivandrum, a 450-bed healthcare facility in India, is the first to receive international accreditation from ACHSI and NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals) in the country.

Dr Mohamed, an ENT specialist who has been practising medicine in Dubai for the last 22 years, believes many health issues that affect the Gulf population are often lifestyle related.

He explained: 'A sedentary life, lack of exercise, diets that involve consuming foods with a high fat content are major contributors to various diseases today. The occurrence of diabetes and hypertension especially among Indians and Asians is also very high.

'There are tension-related illnesses with many people who are living alone without their families. There are also environment-related health problems for people such as labourers who are working in the sun during very hot weather for almost eight hours a day.

'When we came to Bahrain, we found that healthcare expenses were often very high. A mere consultation was costing between BD15 and 20. We brought the prices down to between BD5-6.

'We did this in order to make private healthcare affordable, especially for Indians and middle class families. Our motto has always been to provide quality services at affordable prices.'

The new hospital will feature state-of-the-art facilities which the project team believes will cater to all segments of the community. It has a separate wing for maternity and child care with a feeding room, children's play area, pre-natal and neo-natal care, private rooms and a nursery.

A weight management clinic, radiology department, dermatology division, high-end cosmetology and laser wing, dental clinic, pharmacy and several laboratories have also been designed.

The facility is also working towards a paperless medical practice by making use of modern technology, computers and digital X-rays.