Al Bilad newspaper Recommendations of the Parliamentary Investigation Committee into Medical Services – 2024-03-01 21:18:03

In its final report, the Parliamentary Investigation Committee on Medical Services, headed by Representative Mahdi Al-Shuwaikh, reached several conclusions, the most prominent of which are as follows:

• The number of complaints increased by 110.53% according to the statistical table in the year 2023 compared to the previous year, which is a big jump in this aspect.
• Sending an accident reporting policy to all health institutions.
• A noticeable increase in the number of medical errors in the year 2023, reaching 7 errors, including two deaths, in clear contrast to the previous year, which did not witness any recorded incidents. This development reflects the possibility of multiple factors that contributed to this increase, such as changes in the health environment and fluctuations in the quality of medical services.
• Noticeable fluctuations in accident rates in government hospitals during the period from 2017 to 2022.
• 77 cases of accidental accidents were reported in centers. Primary health care in 2022.
• The organizational structure of primary health care centers is a temporary structure, not a permanent one, and it has not been ratified by the Civil Service Agency. It is noted that the Civil Service Authority approved pages 3 and 9 and the rest of the pages have not been ratified. It considered that the temporary structure must be converted into a permanent one approved by the competent authorities, including The civil service apparatus, as the temporary structure lacks clarity in responsibilities, while the permanent structure enhances the level of performance within the institution
• Shortage of doctors compared to the global average
• Some doctors are absent from work without excuse, and during the period of absence, they receive their full salary, and the number of days of absence is not deducted.
• Doctors grant sick leave at a later date than the date of the visit or retroactively for a period of up to 28 days.
• The absence of an approved procedures guide that regulates the policy procedures for granting operating appointments and increasing the waiting list for patients who need cochlear implants.
• Weakness in the organization of the warehouse in the pharmacy department in terms of the presence of some shelves without labels, the fact that pharmacy employees sometimes receive medications directly from suppliers and other external parties, and the job titles of some employees differ from the titles approved for them.
• Failure to adhere to the policy of granting appointments and operating times to patients based on priority of reservation.
• There are 745 doctors, 3,132 nurses, and 549 allied professionals, and the total number of these cadres is 4,426 in government hospitals, which number six hospitals.
• The number of non-Bahraini personnel working in government hospitals is 2,035 employees, of whom the nursing staff is 1,812, while their number is 185 in primary health care centers.
• The percentage of Bahrainization in primary health care centers increased from 2019 to 2023, reaching 92.8% in 2023.
• Employing 104 nursing staff in primary health care centers, 35 doctors, and 6 dentists in the year 2023, noting that the total number of people employed in all health professions in those centers reached 185 employees, and this number exceeds the 76 employees who were employed in the year 2022.
• The employment of resident doctors and first resident doctors increased significantly in the year 2023 compared to the year 2022, as 31 resident doctors and first resident doctors were appointed, and no consultants were hired. Or a specialist despite the urgent need.
• The number of deaths in government hospitals for residents of 8 days or more for the year 2023 reached 639, and this number has been updated to the end of 2023.
• The number of deaths in 2022 for residents of 8 days or more increased to 711, which represents an increase in the number of deaths compared to the years from 2016 to 2019.
• A large number of patients complain about the lack of original medicines, especially medicines for chronic diseases, and alternative medicines are always provided.
• The presence of doctors who hold a master’s degree and work in the evening shift and are not rotated with other doctors in the morning shift.
• A shortage of wheelchairs for the elderly, people of determination, and situations that require their use.

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