MPs approve ‘Bahrainising' medicine delivery jobs
Parliament has backed an urgent proposal to require companies delivering medicines to homes to employ only Bahraini nationals.
New contracts signed with the Ministry of Health will have to include a clause enforcing the change.
Under the proposal, the government, through the Ministry of Health, must ensure that private firms providing home delivery services replace their expatriate drivers with trained Bahrainis.
The move is intended to raise the quality of service and open a direct path to employment for citizens.
The plan was brought forward by Dr Muneer Seroor and four other MPs.
Foreign workers
Speaking during yesterday's session, Dr Seroor said foreign workers made up the bulk of those delivering medicines.
He said the nature of the service, which involves entering people's homes, called for greater care in who was employed. "The delivery of medicines into people's homes demands workers who understand local customs and traditions," Dr Seroor told MPs. "This is a profession that does not require specialised qualifications. With simple training, our citizens can take on this role, making it a direct and practical solution to unemployment."
Dr Seroor praised the Ministry of Health for offering a much-needed service to the elderly and patients with longterm illnesses.
Gap
However, he said that relying heavily on expatriate labour left a gap that could, and should, be filled by Bahrainis.
He added that the change would help rebuild public trust in home services, as well as create jobs in towns and villages where opportunities were often scarcer.
It would also support the government's effort to bring more Bahrainis into important service roles.
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