MPs Back Nursing and Midwifery College Plan

TDT | Manama

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A parliamentary committee has approved a proposal to establish a dedicated Nursing and Midwifery College in Bahrain, aimed at increasing the number of qualified Bahraini healthcare professionals and reducing reliance on foreign nursing staff.

The proposal, submitted by MP Jalila Alawi along with four fellow lawmakers, received unanimous support from members of Parliament’s Services Committee.

Under the proposal, the college would offer specialised education and practical clinical training for nurses and midwives through a combination of academic studies and hands-on experience in healthcare facilities.

Supporters of the initiative said the institution would help boost the number of Bahraini nationals entering the nursing profession, expand applied learning opportunities at Bahrain Polytechnic, and create new higher education pathways aligned with the needs of hospitals and healthcare centres.

The Services Committee noted that Bahrain is facing a shortage of local nursing and midwifery professionals as demand for healthcare services continues to rise. It also pointed out the absence of a stand-alone nursing college capable of independently developing programmes that respond to evolving healthcare requirements and international educational standards.

The Bahrain Nursing and Midwifery Society supported the proposal and called for an increase in enrolment capacity at existing nursing institutions, stressing the need to strengthen the pipeline of Bahraini healthcare workers.

The society also urged the expansion of specialised nursing education through higher diploma, master’s and doctoral programmes. Areas identified for development include critical care, intensive care, emergency nursing, dialysis, public health, community nursing, midwifery, women’s health, neonatal and paediatric nursing, oncology, mental health, nursing leadership and nursing education.