Fantastic facilities

TRAINEE doctors and nurses in Bahrain are not only learning how to deliver sound health advice to patients they are now able to practice what they preach, thanks to a significant investment.

Under the patronage of Dr Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Kalifa, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, RCSI Bahrain has recently officially opened its new state-of-the-art sports facilities.

The $700,000 move includes a new artificial football pitch, new basketball court and the renovation of existing amenities. RCSI Bahrain’s chief operating officer, Stephen Harrison-Mirfield, said: “The university wants to see the new facilities used to promote inter-collegiate events with other universities and to improve the overall health of Bahrainis by making them available to the wider community.”

Medical student Kevin Schreiber added: “The new facilities are fantastic and more students will now get involved in sport. The investment has already opened the door to a whole range of news sports like American Football and cricket.”

The FIFA approved all-weather football pitch was imported from the Netherlands. The artificial pitch has been designed for multisport/multigame functionality. Using cleverly-designed removable goals, it will facilitate a range of sports such as football, touch rugby and Gaelic football.

For basketball, new International Basketball Federation-approved multi-purpose flooring has been installed in the university’s sports and recreation centre. It has been designed to accommodate a variety of sports including indoor football, badminton, basketball and volleyball.

RCSI Bahrain is celebrating 10 years in Bahrain this year. With students from 39 countries, numbers are at an all-time high, with more than 1,300 students currently undertaking courses in medicine, nursing and postgraduate studies and research.