A Bahraini businessman has donated BD1 million to the Health Ministry to expand the nephrology department at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC).
Almoayyed Group chairman Farouk Almoayyed’s gift is a shot in the arm for health authorities, who plan to utilise the money by providing state-of-the-art services to conduct organ transplants.
Separate operation theatres and beds at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) will be set up solely for transplant patients and donors.
“We are trying to create a centre of excellence at the SMC nephrology department by providing dedicated operation theatre rooms and other facilities for transplant patients,” said Health Minister Dr Faisal Al Hamer yesterday.
“This donation reflects our vision of public-private partnership to develop health infrastructure and extend services to those in need.”
He was speaking during a Press conference at the ministry in Juffair along with Mr Almoayyed and senior officials.
The donation will be directed to expand SMC’s Almoayyed Nephrology and Kidney Transplant Centre, set up by the late Yousif Khalil Almoayyed.
It aims to reduce the pressure on staff and the waiting list of patients for organ transplants.
Two operation theatres to conduct organ transplants, three beds at the ICU and a special suite of four rooms for recipients and organ donors will be set up in gradual phases by next year.
“We feel blessed that Bahrain provides quality healthcare for Bahrainis and expatriates,” said Mr Almoayyed.
“The private sector should do their bit to boost health services.
“Moreover, it was my father’s vision to contribute to the society and we, as his children, are trying to follow in his footsteps.”
Nephrology and kidney transplantation department chairman Dr Sameer Alarrayed said by early next year officials would shift stable haemodialysis patients to the King Hamad University Hospital’s nephrology department.
A total of 165 patients are now waiting for kidney transplants, of which 95 cases are deemed high priority.
The GDN reported in October that SMC doctors had already conducted 13 kidney transplant cases this year.
Gulf Daily