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Bahrain's Ministry of Health is establishing a new genetic testing unit and biobank at Salmaniya Medical Complex to enhance healthcare.
In response to 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 is working to activate the project to establish a genome analysis unit at the Salmaniya Medical Complex. In this context, the Ministry organized the Genome Symposium under the patronage of HE Faeqa bint Saeed Al Saleh, Minister of Health, attended by a group of human genome experts from inside and outside the Kingdom of Bahrain. This introductory symposium is part of the plan to activate the project to establish a genome analysis unit, in order to strengthen preventive aspects and protect society from genetic diseases.
The symposium, held from 3 to 4 October, brought together more than 60 participants specialized in blood diseases and genetics. It reviewed a number of topics, including Bahrain’s National Genome Strategy; Japan’s experience in establishing its genome project and its ongoing programs in the field of rare diseases; Japan’s role in Bahrain’s participation in the genome project; building health and genomic initiatives in Bahrain and coordinating with other countries; and the challenges of establishing biobanks and international regulations. It also addressed genome sequencing, including its opportunities, challenges, ethics, and information systems and their protection.
The launch of the project to establish the genome analysis unit at the Salmaniya Medical Complex is in line with the Ministry of Health’s commitment to implementing the directives of the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain to continue providing advanced medical services and healthcare, including curative and preventive services for citizens, alongside the Genome Bank, which will operate under the umbrella of the Ministry of Health and will be prepared to collect and store the largest possible number of samples.
