Bahrain has invited the United Nations to investigate allegations of human rights abuse during the military takeover of a hospital in March, the Acting Health Minister said.

Dr Fatima Al Balooshi said she proposed that the World Health Organisation form a team to independently investigate the incident at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) during a conversation with its head, Dr Margaret Chan, on Sunday.

'I told her that verbally and now I will write to her formally and officially so she can send a group. We have nothing to hide,' Dr Al Balooshi said in Geneva.

A spokeswoman for the WHO confirmed an invitation had been received, but said there were no plans yet to send a team.

'Dr Chan advised her to also invite other groups including human rights, civil society, and professional associations to visit Bahrain and attest to the real situation,' her spokeswoman said.-TradeArabia News Service