New measures could soon be introduced at Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) to significantly cut waiting lists, as nearly 80 patients were yet to be given beds yesterday.
The cases, which included 57 sickle cell patients, had to remain at the Accident and Emergency Department until beds were found elsewhere.
Scores of patients have been waiting for beds at the hospital every day for the last few weeks and at one stage, there were 110 patients waiting.
Hospital authorities attributed the rush to a string of holidays but claimed the situation would improve.
New proposals could now result in special clinics opening in the evening at SMC exclusively for sickle cell patients.
Sickle cell cases arriving at the department could also soon be examined only by haematology experts.
This would ensure that they are immediately looked at by specialists who deal in blood diseases rather than by trained emergency professionals because of their unique nature.
The move follows the introduction of new special registration cards for such patients arriving for treatment.
“We had a waiting list of 57 in the morning but this has increased to 76 by 1pm,” said a doctor, who didn’t want to be named.
“Many of them are suffering from sickle cell and need immediate specialised treatment.”
However, he said there was no compromise on the care level of any of the patients.
“We are taking all precautions they are given all treatments they would receive in critical care,” said the doctor.
He said the hospital’s day case unit was also receiving Accident an Emergency Department patients for the time being.
“This will continue to happen until the waiting lists are eliminated,” said the doctor.
Bahrain Society for Sickle Cell Anaemia Patient Care chairman Zakreya Al Kadhem said they would formally put forward the proposals to SMC chief of medical staff Dr Mohammed Amin Al Awadhi at a meeting with today.
“We had earlier made verbal proposals and they have been accepted in principle, but we will formalise them now,” he told the GDN.
“We plan to ask the ministry to open special clinics in the evening at SMC exclusively for sickle cell patients,” he said.
Mr Al Kadhem said that opening the clinics could be difficult due to the lack of a budget.
“We are told it would cost BD15,000 a year to set up these extra clinics and we have also told the ministry our society is ready to foot the bill,” he said.
“We hope the ministry will agree until a budget is allocated for the clinics.”
Mr Al Kadhem said these steps would help substantially reduce the number of patients waiting at the department for regular hospital beds after having received preliminary treatment.
MANDEEP SINGH
Gulf Daily