Bahrain is planning a major rethink of its health care policies to meet potential challenges amid a rapidly changing population.

Health Minister Sadiq Al Shehabi unveiled a four-year strategy which aims to enhance medical services and ensure sustainable public health care, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

The 2015-2018 blueprint takes into account growing challenges which will confront Bahrain in the coming years, particularly the demographic factor.

The ageing population and demographic growth resulting from high fertility and rising life expectancy will continue to put increasing pressure on public health care services.

The roadmap also cautioned against an alarming increase in non-infectious diseases due to unhealthy lifestyles.

"Non-communicable diseases today represent a big danger threatening the sustainability of public health care," Al Shehabi said as he chaired a High Health Committee meeting.

He cited heart and blood diseases, cancer, diabetes and other chronic pulmonary and respiratory diseases which are the main causes of death in Bahrain.

The complications resulting from such diseases represent a heavy burden on national economies and health care services due to the exorbitant costs of long-term therapies.

"Chronic diseases are also leaving a heavy toll on per capita productivity, which has a negative impact on development," he said, warning of the alarming increase in health care costs.

The minister stressed the importance of bolstering partnership between the public and private sectors and encouraging health investments to cope with growing challenges and meet rising costs.

The strategy also drew attention to the soaring budget being allocated for cutting-edge medical equipment and drugs, in addition to the acute shortage of qualified staff in certain specialities. - TradeArabia News Service