PEOPLE could be jeopardising critical cases at the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) maternity unit by overcrowding it with ordinary childbirth cases, officials warned yesterday.
It is essential not to overburden the ward for it to function well and at its full capacity, said SMC maternity and peripheral hospitals deputy nursing head Nawal Al Owainati.
“Those with normal delivery should go instead to the Muharraq, Jidhafs or Sitra maternity hospitals for the SMC to remain only for critical cases,” she said.
Ms Al Owainati was speaking as the newly renovated unit reopened at the hospital yesterday.
The unit, which had closed down temporarily for extensive renovation on December 14, has already started receiving patients, she said. “There are 12 fully equipped labour rooms in addition to four rooms for postnatal care and two operation theatres,” said Ms Al Owainati.
“These are all now working at full capacity and offering state-of-the-art services. When we have overcrowding, these facilities are stretched and that causes problems.
“This situation can be avoided because the other maternity hospitals are always awaiting patients.”
The GDN had earlier reported a rush of births had swamped the SMC maternity unit.
Many women were then transferred to the Jidhafs Maternity Hospital.
The Health Ministry had said that the crisis could not be blamed on poor facilities.
It said that people had a tendency to go to the SMC even though they were already under the care of other maternity hospitals.
Bahrain is capable of handling more than 100 births a day and there should never be a crisis if everyone followed simple guidelines, said officials.
People rushing to the SMC and then being referred to other maternity centres causes problems, they added.
Mandeep Singh
Gulf Daily