Bahrain health officials have announced plans to open a BD3 million ($7.9 million) state-of-the-art life-saving facility at the Salmaniya Medical Complex with 22 additional beds for critical cases.

The announcement comes following the launch of Bahrain's second major public hospital - King Hamad University Hospital, and news about creation of a healthcare zone near Isa Town.

The new intensive care unit will open soon at Salmaniya Medical Complex. It will initially operate with 15 beds and gradually accommodate 22, said Health Ministry hospitals affairs assistant under-secretary Dr Ameen Al Sa'ati.

The current ICU will then be upgraded, to eventually bring the number of beds to 33, Sa'ati added.

According to him, more development projects are on the way at SMC, including outpatient departments, ICUs for newborns and children, and a children's ward for critical cases, to achieve a quantum leap in medical services.

Sa'ati said the work on a BD2.5m blood disease centre at SMC was also underway.

'The 90-bed facility will treat all patients with blood diseases, but will be of particular help for those suffering from sickle cell disease,' he added.-TradeArabia News Service