About the Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health in the Kingdom of Bahrain is one of the fundamental pillars of the healthcare system in the Kingdom, as it is responsible for regulating and developing health policies and supervising their implementation to ensure the provision of integrated, safe, and high-quality health services to citizens and residents.

The beginnings of organized health work in the Kingdom of Bahrain date back to the early twentieth century with the establishment of the first modern health institutions, most notably the American Mission Hospital in 1903, and the opening of Salmaniya Medical Complex in 1957, which formed a major turning point in the development of government health services in the Kingdom. With the development and expansion of the health sector, the Ministry of Health was established in 1971 to assume responsibility for health planning and the supervision and regulation of health services, and to oversee health centers and hospitals to enhance community health and ensure the provision of medical care for citizens and residents.

Today, the Ministry works on regulating the health sector and supervising the quality and efficiency of the health services provided in the Kingdom, in cooperation with relevant national entities such as the National Health Regulatory Authority, Government Hospitals, and Primary Healthcare Centers. This occurs within a framework of health system governance and the enhancement of the integrated roles of health institutions, as the Ministry of Health constitutes an integral part of the health system in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It is also considered a key component of the Supreme Council of Health, as the Ministry of Health participates in all of the Council's duties and tasks, and in health financing decisions and policies, serving as the executive body of the Supreme Council of Health in the fields of quality, planning, and training, in line and consistent with Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.

The Ministry also plays a major role in the field of public health by developing preventive policies and programs and promoting health, which contributes to improving the health of the population in the Kingdom of Bahrain and reducing risk factors associated with diseases through cooperation and partnership with various governmental, civil, and private entities.