The National Health Regulatory Authority (NHRA) is in the process of assisting investors from Turkey and Thailand to complete formalities in order to set up their facilities in the country.

Bahrain - Foreign investors have shown interest in setting up specialised medical centres in Bahrain, revealed the country’s health regulator.

NHRA chief executive Dr Mariam Al Jalahma told the GDN that a Turkish investor plans to open a hair transplant centre, while Thai investors plan to set up a modern medicine centre and a Thai medicine centre.

“There has been an increase in the number of investors who want to set up their companies in Bahrain,” said Dr Al Jalahma.

“We, at the NHRA, are handling some of their projects.

“There is an investor from Turkey who wants to set up a hair transplant centre in Bahrain, and currently we are helping them find a location.”

She said Thai investors were even keen to share their experience of alternative medicine in Bahrain.

“Some investors from Thailand have approached us, and one of them intends to set up a Thai alternative medicine centre at the Thai Mart (to be opened at) Diyar Al Muharraq.

“This will be a centre to promote modern medicine.”

She did not reveal the cost of the projects or other details, but said the developments were in line with the NHRA’s goal of encouraging investment in speciality medicine initiatives.

The health regulator located in the Seef District operates an Investor’s Office, which provides assistance to foreign investors in the health sector, explain the process of opening health facilities and local legislation.

Investment has increased since regulations were eased in 2016, allowing non-medical related individuals to pump money in the health sector, which was earlier restricted to doctors or pharmacists.

Dr Al Jalahma said the NHRA aimed to make Bahrain a hub for medical tourism and international investment.

She also revealed that plans were underway to establish a major warehouse for medication and equipment in Bahrain.

“Besides the investors’ requests, we are working to open a medical hub that will store drugs and medical equipment,” she added.

“This mega facility will help investors to store medicines at the right temperature and serve as a regional hub for them to export their products.”

She was speaking on the sidelines of the first Bahrain Emergency Medicine Conference, which was held at the Gulf Hotel Bahrain.

The GDN reported last month that the NHRA was working on a project with Indian investors to establish a stem cell bank that would store umbilical cord blood, which could later be used to harvest stem cells to repair diseased, dysfunctional or injured body tissue.

In addition, three factories manufacturing medical syringes, drugs and capsules are also being set up.

© Copyright 2019 www.gdnonline.com

Copyright 2019 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).