Doctor sentenced to jail for harming reputation of Bahrain public hospital

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The minor criminal court yesterday awarded a six-month prison term to a doctor charged with forging documents and cheating patients. The court also found him guilty of tarnishing the reputation of a public hospital in Bahrain.

The court also ordered to temporarily halt the punishments until the appeal deadline for a guarantee of BD500.

Court files say the doctor transferred patients from his clinic in a private hospital to Salmaniya Medical complex for performing surgeries in exchange for money.

Patients paid the doctor between BD1,000 and BD1,500 for performing surgeries, actually done free of cost by the Salmaniya Medical Complex.

Salmaniya Medical complex offers treatment free of cost to citizens and others during emergencies. Unaware of this and trusting the doctor, patients said they credited money to the doctor’s account.

Public prosecution opened an investigation upon receiving a report from the Office of Financial and Administrative Supervision into the incident. Investigators found that the accused took between BD1,000 to BD1,500 in exchange for forged receipts.

The accused set urgent appointments for the patients at the medical complex using his acquaintance.