THE American Mission Hospital (AMH) – which has operated in the kingdom for more than a century – is set to launch a new hospital specifically focussed on the health and well-being of women and children.
The concept is still at an early stage of development but was revealed by the hospital’s award-winning corporate chief executive officer Dr George Cheriyan during a visit by US ambassador Justin Siberell to its major facility in Manama.
AMH, a private not-for-profit charitable operation, was the first modern hospital in the country and, possibly, along the entire Arabian Gulf region. In recent years it has opened sister clinics in Saar, Amwaj Islands and Riffa.
“I’m working hard behind the scenes to make it happen and more details will be announced over the course of the next few months,” Dr George said. “We are planning to build a brand new hospital in A’ali. It’s a project I’m busy with right now, rolling it out.
“I will release more information at the appropriate time but that much I can tell you. It will be focussed on women’s and children’s health.”
The ambassador took the opportunity to congratulate Dr George on being awarded the prestigious C3 Summit & PURELIFE Health Sciences Group Global Visionary Award in New York in September.
The criteria for nomination is based on the healthcare system that best exemplifies how universal healthcare must work together in the context of ‘shared responsibility’.
The American Mission Hospital (AMH) traces its origins back to 1893, with the establishment of the Arabian mission by the missionaries from the New Brunswick theological seminary of the Reformed Church in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
The first American physicians began to serve Bahrain through the founding of the first modern hospital in 1902. The hospital served the people of Bahrain and the neighbouring countries of the Gulf in the early part of the 20th Century with branches established in Kuwait, UAE and Oman.
AMH has witnessed the modernisation of Bahrain and has continuously served its people for 120 years.
The hospital also represents a long-standing relationship and friendship between the US and Bahrain and continues to be well-positioned to collaborate and build lasting healthcare partnerships that are beneficial to both countries.
Shaikh Mohamed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa holds the position of board chairman and its members include Hall Delano Roosevelt, the grandson of a former US president and a leading Bahrain-based businessman.
Ambassador Justin, who was accompanied by his wife, Arnavaz, and embassy officials, will champion the cause too, saying the work of AMH in the community ‘makes all of us exceptionally proud and also quite humbled’.
“We will look to do anything we can to support this new initiative,” he said. “AMH encapsulates and symbolises the relationship we have always had with Bahrain – the people of two nations coming together and forming a close partnership.
“It perfectly symbolises the essential nature of people-to-people partnerships and is also consistent with the way our two countries have come together, found common ground and done good things for people in the region.
“I think that’s the case with the AMH and it’s the same with our security partnership with the US Navy, who have all been provided with a home here in Bahrain and have also been providing maritime commerce security over 2.5 million square miles for 70 years now.
“When we describe the arc of American-Bahraini relationships it starts with AMH, we nowadays talk of growing commercial relations and the security partnership, but when I speak to His Majesty King Hamad he also goes back to the founding of the American Mission Hospital and the arrival of the founders, those first Americans who came here. It’s a point of pride for both nations.”
King Hamad will be playing a part once again next month by hosting the AMH Island Classic charity golf tournament at his private golf course in Saffriya.
The three-day event, which is held under King Hamad’s patronage, is considered to be one of the major highlights of Bahrain’s sporting calendar.
It also raises vital funds, through corporate sponsorship, for AMH’s community outreach work and upgrading medical equipment.
Last year 40 organisations supported the event raising BD70,000.
Ambassador Justin, who declined to reveal his golfing handicap, will tee off this year’s tournament on November 15. “I have played golf although I’m not sure I’d call myself a golfer!” he said. “But I do look forward to participating in this important fundraiser.”
