National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) Chief Executive Officer Dr Mariam Al Jalahma has highlighted in an online lecture for the Shura Council the health sector legislation and the role of the NHRA in monitoring and regulating the healthcare system in Bahrain.
During the lecture organized by the Bahrain Institute for Public Development (BIPD), she explained that NHRA is an independent regulatory body established in 2010 under Law 38 of 2009 with a mission to regulate the provision of healthcare in Bahrain.
NHRA also ensures appropriateness, continuity, efficiency and safety in delivering health services, both in the governmental and private sector, based on the best scientific evidence and healthcare best practices and in accordance with international standards, she added.
It is responsible for the implementation and development of health regulations in both governmental and private sectors in Bahrain. This involves regulatory procedures related to licensing health care facilities as well as licensing health care professionals within them.
NHRA is also responsible for registration and pricing of medicine, licensing pharmaceutical factories, granting approvals in relation to conducting clinical trials, investigating professional misconduct claims, and conducting disciplinary hearings for health professionals in the Kingdom.
Al Jalahma reviewed the laws regarding the practice of medicine and dentistry as well as pharmacy to be amended, saying they had been referred to the Supreme Council of Health.
She added that NHRA is ready to receive patient complaints about medical and professional errors and to investigate them. It is also ready to receive reports about medical and professional errors and serious accidents by institutions in order to ensure action is taken, to improve performance and to take disciplinary measures against health guilty professions practitioners.
The conference is part of a program launched by BIPD in partnership with the Shura Council for the Shura members to assist them enhance their aptitude in dealing with the Kingdom’s legislation.
The program “Parliamentary Skills” also seeks to deepen the members’ political and constitutional backgrounds with lectures on constitutional, legal, political and media issues.
SOURCE: ALIBILAD