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Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad praised the National Genome Center and directed that athletes be included in the project to discover and refine talent through genetic analysis.
His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of the General Sports Authority, and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, affirmed the importance of continuing to advance the development of the health sector through the launch of pioneering and specialized programs that help improve the quality of life for citizens, in fulfillment of the vision and aspirations of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Kingdom's Monarch, may God protect and preserve him, and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, may God preserve him.
His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa noted that the National Genome Center represents one of the important projects that will have a positive impact on the future of coming generations, commending the esteemed government's contributions to improving quality of life for citizens through the adoption of numerous initiatives similar to the National Genome Center project, affirming that Bahrain's sports sector will be one of the key partners in this project.
His Highness commended the steps taken by the Ministry of Health to activate the Center's role in achieving the goals for which this pioneering national initiative was launched, noting that the National Genome project aims to study the genetic composition of Bahrain's population to learn more about the hereditary factors that make Bahrain's residents susceptible to certain diseases. The project will also contribute to developing diagnostic methods tailored to each individual's genetic makeup, in what is known as personalized medicine.
Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa directed the executive body of the General Sports Authority to open avenues of cooperation and coordinate efforts with those concerned at the National Genome Center, with the aim of participating in this national project by including all players and athletes in the Center's genetic screenings, in addition to studying the genes of talented players and former champions and including them in databases for subsequent analysis. This is aimed at searching for future champions by utilizing genetic work that allows for identifying physical capabilities through DNA analysis, which will contribute to sports development and talent discovery, and work on nurturing this talent based on the results of the analyses and information derived from the databases, using the latest medical technologies.
In line with the directives of Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Dr. Abdulrahman Sadeq Askar, Chief Executive Officer of the General Sports Authority, held a meeting with Ms. Amjad Ghanem, Head of the National Team responsible for implementing the National Genome plan and Head of Public Health Laboratories at the Ministry of Health, along with her accompanying team. The meeting aimed to develop a joint action plan between the two sides in implementation of Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa's directives, and to activate the participation of various sports institutions in the Kingdom—including clubs, federations, authorities, and committees—in the National Genome project. Both sides agreed to cooperate and continue holding meetings to determine the appropriate mechanism that would help achieve their shared goals.
It is worth noting that the launch of the National Genome Center project stems from the government's keenness to improve the quality of health services and prevent hereditary and intractable diseases, drawing on the latest innovative scientific methods. The idea of establishing a specialized center for genetic analysis was born, with the Ministry of Health taking the necessary steps and measures to establish the Center. This national project aims to provide better healthy life opportunities for coming generations, improve treatment prospects, enhance the quality of health services, and prevent diseases for current generations by providing a DNA database for the Bahraini people. Reading and analyzing this data significantly contributes to improving disease diagnosis and early detection, as well as assessing individuals' susceptibility to them. It also contributes to preventing hereditary diseases and developing effective medications to treat them, which helps ensure a healthy life and disease prevention for current and future generations, further elevating the status of our beloved Kingdom.
