Infrastructure projects worth more than BD15 million ($39.5 million) are under way at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), Bahrain's main hospital.

The schemes at SMC include a BD5.6 million multi-storey car park, a BD6 million power station, a BD4 million outpatient clinic and a BD38,000 expansion of the accident and emergency department, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Another BD3.9 million has been allocated to develop medical centres and other health facilities in the Capital Governorate, said Health Minister Sadiq Al Shehabi yesterday.

"We are waiting for a site study report on the parking facility at SMC, which is expected to be submitted by early 2015," he said during a meeting at the Capital Governorate headquarters in Gudaibiya.

"This project aims to ease parking concerns of patients and visitors and will reduce the current crisis to a good extent.

"The power station will be equipped to support the present and future needs of SMC. It is expected to be completed by end of 2015.

"The site study report of the new outpatient block is also pending while the expansion project at the accident and emergency department will be completed next month."

He revealed that other health projects in the governorate comprised development and maintenance of several health centres, including a BD2.5 million expansion of Al Razi Health Centre. "The budget allocated is awaited for the project to be initiated," said Al Shehabi.

"The expansion of Hoora Health Centre with an additional building including a two-storey section for radiology department and expansion of the pharmacy records facility, all costing BD700,000, are under tendering.

"A radiology lab in Ibn Sina Health Centre in Ras Ruman worth BD502,000 and expansion of Al Naim Health Centre costing BD260,000 are both in the design stages.

"On the demand for a specialised maternity unit in the Hoora and Gudaibiya area covering blocks 318, 319 and 308, the health centres were created to provide therapy services including family medication and oral and dental care for children and mothers.

"We also have screening services for pregnant women in all health centres."

Al Shehabi said work was underway to improve facilities at the health centres in Seef and Sanabis, while a new centre in Nabih Saleh was awaiting land allocation.

He said a feasibility study was being conducted on the establishment of a specialised dental clinic at the Hoora Health Centre, and a diabetes department will soon open at the Shaikh Sabah Health Centre in Umm Al Hassam.

He added that plans were in the pipeline to open a specialised sickle cell centre in Bilad Al Qadeem.

Yesterday's meeting was attended by Health Ministry public health and primary healthcare assistant under-secretary Dr Maryam Al Jalahma, hospital affairs assistant under-secretary Dr Waleed Al Manea, SMC diagnostic affairs deputy chief Dr Raja Al Yusuf, Deputy Capital Governor Hassan Madani and MP Abdulhakim Al Shammary along with municipal councillors, businessmen and residents. - TradeArabia News Service