A leading US hospital is to help Bahrain’s Health Ministry upgrade treatment of sickle cell anaemia patients, a report said.

Located in Baltimore, Maryland, Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHI) collaborates with affiliates across the world to improve healthcare, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

Health Minister Sadiq Al Shehabi received Bahrain Society for Sickle Cell Anaemia Patient Care chairman Zakaria Ebrahim Al Kadhem and discussed preparations to co-operate with the hospital. The meeting, attended by assistant under-secretary for primary care and public health Dr Mariam Al Jalahma, focused on the conditions of sickle cell patients in Bahrain.

Al Shehabi stressed the directives of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa to upgrade medical services for patients suffering from blood hereditary diseases.

JHI experts will help health officials assess medical services provided for anaemic patients and draw up a programme to train medical and nursing staff.

The ministry will also collaborate with JHI Sickle Cell Infusion Centre to conduct surveys and studies on patients in Bahrain to upgrade services.

The ministry has already updated JHI officials on challenges facing Bahrain in dealing with sickle cell patients, especially those who report to Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) at least 10 times a year.

The SMC medical team discussed with their JHI counterparts the possibility of sending Bahraini medical staff for training at the US facility.

The US hospital will also help the ministry draw up strategies to provide patients with comprehensive healthcare and enforce international quality indices. – TradeArabia News Service