Bahrain proposes health care for Indians

Dubai, Apr 30 (UNI) Bahrain has proposed a five-stage plan to make private health insurance compulsory for all Indian expatriates and foreign residents in the kingdom by 2013 to reduce the strain on government health services.

Health Minister Dr Nada Haffadh said the ministry is working to introduce by 2008 compulsory health insurance for expats at large companies with over 500 employees and gradually expand it to cover those at smaller firms, Gulf Daily News reported.

Foreign residents account for about 39 per cent of the total population and 72 per cent of the total workforce.

The ministry's objective is to implement a National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme for the expatriates through private health insurance.

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