The Ministry of Health launches a webpage dedicated to the National Genome Project

Following the directives of the Coordination Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, the Ministry of Health has launched a webpage dedicated to the National Genome Project on Thursday, 21 February 2019.  The project aims to increase public engagement and establish a Genome Analysis Unit to support advanced preventive and therapeutic healthcare services.

Dr. Amani Al Hajeri, Head of the Genetics Department at the Salmanyia Medical Complex, affirmed that the Ministry has launched the webpage, to further enhance transparency and increase the public’s awareness in regards to the project. The webpage was developed and launched by the project team in collaboration with the Ministry's Information and Planning Directorate. 

Dr. Amani further highlighted the website’s role in introducing the project to the public in addition to its role in highlighting the project’s latest developments and encouraging participants to sign up. The website includes dedicated sections explaining the Bahraini Genome Project and its objectives, as well as introducing the concepts of the genome and biobank. It also provides information on how to participate, participants' rights, and access to consent forms, result request forms, and withdrawal forms. These initiatives form part of the implementation plan for establishing the Genome Analysis Unit, which aims to strengthen preventive healthcare and protect the community from genetic diseases.

The Ministry of Health is committed to providing advanced health services, which includes the introduction of a biobank that will aid in preventing disease. The biobank will operate under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and will be equipped to collect and store the largest possible number of samples to support the objectives of the National Genome Project.