17-02-2025
Shura Council approves bill forcing private hospitals to hire more citizens
A revised bill requiring private hospitals to ensure half their medical, technical, and nursing staff are Bahrainis was passed by the Shura Council yesterday.
The proposal, first put forward by Parliament, was changed before being pushed through in the same sitting. It will now be sent back to MPs for further review.
The planned change to Article 14 of Decree-Law No. 21 of 2015 is aimed at opening up more jobs for Bahraini graduates in the private healthcare sector.
Committee rapporteur Talal Mohammed Al Manai said private hospitals would be expected to give first pick to Bahraini doctors, nurses, and technicians who meet the needed standards.
Exceptions
'The only exceptions would be for jobs that need rare skills not found locally,' he said. Some Shura members questioned whether the plan would work in practice. Jameela Al Salman said forcing hospitals to stick to a fixed percentage could create hurdles.
'No other professions, including teaching and engineering, have strict hiring quotas,' she said. 'Private hospitals can't control how many Bahrainis choose to work in the sector.'
She also pointed out that Gulf countries have moved away from set quotas, instead leaning on staged targets and job schemes to bring in more locals.
Ali Al Aradi said the change did not match the country's current rules on private healthcare.
'Three different laws cross over in this amendment,' he said. 'The private healthcare law, the decree that set up the Supreme Council of Health, and the law that brought in the National Health Regulatory Authority. If this bill is passed, we'll also need to change the decree for the health council, or there'll be gaps in the rules.'
Law
Second Deputy Chair Jihad Al Fadhel said Bahraini doctors were often paid less than they should be, and the law could help fix that.
'We can't let market demand be the only thing that decides who gets hired,' she said. 'This will make sure Bahraini doctors have better chances, without cutting off the private sector's ability to bring in expert staff when needed.'
