The Ministry of Health in the Kingdom of Bahrain is committed to working within a unified government framework aligned with the vision of His Majesty the King, may God protect and preserve him, for Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030. This vision aims to enhance and achieve the principles of competitiveness, fairness, and sustainability to elevate the health standards in the Kingdom and improve the quality of life for all citizens and residents. This is achieved through investments in digital transformation, the development of preventive health services, and the governance of the health sector. Today, the Ministry of Health has been able to draft new health policies and strategies that enable it to keep pace with global developments and enhance its health and treatment services. This is accomplished through diligent monitoring of the latest advancements in medical device manufacturing and efforts to provide modern technologies capable of improving the quality of patient care and offering preventive services to combat communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Driven by the government's commitment to improving the quality of health services and preventing diseases, particularly genetic disorders, and adopting the latest innovative scientific methods, the idea of establishing a specialized center for genetic analysis emerged. The Ministry of Health has taken the necessary steps to establish this center, marking a significant national achievement that reflects Bahrain's commitment to developing the health sector using cutting-edge technologies.

This national project aims to provide better health opportunities for future generations, improve treatment options, and enhance the quality of health services and disease prevention for current generations. It does so by creating a DNA database for the Bahraini population. The analysis of this data significantly improves disease diagnosis, early detection, and understanding individuals' susceptibility to diseases. It also contributes to preventing genetic disorders and developing effective treatments, thereby promoting a healthy life and disease prevention for current and future generations, elevating the status of our beloved Kingdom.

The Ministry has adopted innovative technological solutions, such as the National Health Information System (I-SEHA), which provides more efficient health services through the implementation of a unified electronic health record. This system enhances the quality of diagnosis and treatment while supporting disease prevention by creating family health files that facilitate the monitoring of medical cases and their history.

Additionally, the Ministry has activated modern interactive applications as part of effective public engagement, allowing individuals to express their opinions and provide suggestions for improving health and treatment services. These applications also enable appointment booking and easy access to various health services.

In line with the principles of transparency and effective communication, the Ministry has launched interactive electronic platforms to display health statistics and e-services on the Ministry of Health's website (www.moh.gov.bh). These platforms enable decision-makers to utilize data for sustainable improvements. They showcase e-service statistics alongside interactive dashboards for open health data, including news, blogs, statistics, forms, and more. The Ministry conducts continuous self-assessment of the website using practical data analysis tools and key performance indicators.

The Ministry of Health is committed to supporting environmental sustainability by adopting eco-friendly practices in information technology. This contributes to reducing environmental costs and raising awareness about the importance of environmental protection within the health system.

In line with Bahrain Vision 2030, the Ministry seeks to achieve community partnerships with the private sector and encourage investment in the health sector. This includes providing the latest medical equipment and supporting the establishment of projects based on modern technology in collaboration with global medical companies, thereby fostering innovation in the health sector. On the front of global medical companies and manufacturers, the Ministry, in partnership with other health sectors in the Kingdom, is working to maximize health investment opportunities. This aligns with the goals of the vision, keeping pace with global changes, diversifying national income sources, ensuring resource sustainability, and encouraging innovation in the health sector while promoting competitiveness.

The Kingdom of Bahrain provides free vaccinations to citizens according to a specified schedule. Vaccination is a prerequisite for school enrollment starting from 2012, with some vaccines, including booster doses, administered to students in schools to ensure full accessibility.

The Kingdom of Bahrain has implemented the Healthy Cities Program, a preventive initiative by the World Health Organization aimed at improving population health by enhancing cooperation among various sectors, including government, private, and civil society. The program seeks to make health a top priority across all sectors, raise awareness of health, environmental, and social issues, and activate the principle of community partnership. Healthy Cities contribute to improving population health by reducing chronic disease rates, enhancing mental and psychological health, promoting healthy behaviors, and improving overall quality of life.

From this perspective, the Kingdom has sought to implement the program across all governorates, with several cities and governorates receiving WHO accreditation, such as Um Al Hassam, Manama, A'ali, Sayah, and Busaiteen, as well as the Capital Governorate.

Through these initiatives, along with many others, the Ministry of Health is working to strengthen Bahrain's position as a leading destination in public health and prevention at the regional level, while balancing economic and social sustainability. In doing so, the Ministry contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring a healthy future for current and future generations.

Approach to New Emerging Technologies

The Ministry of Health in the Kingdom of Bahrain has made significant strides in utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) in genome research by introducing the latest genome sequencing machines in laboratories. This advanced technology, coupled with AI-supported analytics, has enabled Bahrain to conduct more precise genetic testing, contributing to the development of personalized medicine. Furthermore, the Ministry of Health is working on enhancing the capabilities of the healthcare system in the field of precision medicine, leading to improvements in diagnostics, treatment planning, and accurate results for patients. This is achieved through leveraging AI's potential to efficiently and easily analyze complex genetic data. Through these efforts, the Ministry has significantly raised the level of healthcare in the Kingdom, solidifying Bahrain's position as a leader in health innovation in the region.

The Ministry of Health in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in collaboration with the Information and eGovernment Authority (IGA), has implemented Bahrain’s AI strategy for the healthcare sector, aiming to enhance the effectiveness of the healthcare system and foster innovation in delivering care. The strategy focuses on strengthening AI research in the medical field, developing supply chain guidelines, and boosting capabilities in healthcare, crisis management, and cybersecurity. A key example of this initiative is the "BeAware Bahrain" app, which integrates AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) to support disaster and epidemic management through tracking. These initiatives are part of the Ministry's ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of healthcare in the Kingdom, contributing to the delivery of innovative and effective medical services.

The Ministry of Health has integrated robotics technology into healthcare services. Medical robots such as "Robot Net 20," "Robot Net 21," and the "Nurse Robot" were deployed at the Ibrahim Khalil Kanoo Health Center to reduce the exposure of healthcare workers to COVID-19 during the pandemic. The use of these robots continues, and plans are being made to expand their role in providing nursing care in the healthcare sector. This initiative has further strengthened Bahrain’s position as a regional leader in improving healthcare efficiency and reducing the transmission of diseases and infections among medical and nursing staff.