A Bahraini-Indian partnership in the healthcare sector is looking to expand in the kingdom and across the GCC, said a report.

The partnership between Bahraini businessman Ahmed Jawahery, Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) and others started with the KIMS Bahrain Medical Centre, set up in 1994 in Umm Al Hassam and led to the establishment of the Royal Bahrain Hospital (RBH), a $20 million joint venture.

The group started its third project, the RBH-Medex Medical Centre in Riffa last September, followed by a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) centre in January this year.

On the sidelines of last month's visit to India by His Majesty King Hamad, RBH chairman Ahmed Jawahery and KIMS Group chairman Dr Mohammed Sahadulla engaged in discussions on development projects on all aspects of healthcare and medical facilities between the two countries, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

The meetings took into account the development of primary and supporting healthcare facilities and methods to upgrade them to the highest international standards adopted in respective areas.

Jawahery praised the significance of the visit saying it provided Bahraini businesses an opportunity to widen their horizons of co-operation in various fields with one of the fastest growing and the third-largest economy in Asia.

"The trip had a very positive impact as seen through the success of the Bahrain-India Business Forum, which was attended by 500 businessmen from the two countries in New Delhi and Mumbai," he said.

The efforts made by Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Hassan Fakhro were also praised by Jawahery.-TradeArabia News Service