Shifting public medical cost service back to foreigners in Bahrain

The Bahraini Health Ministry announced the government's intention to require foreigners living in the country to pay the cost of their medical service starting next year instead of enjoying the privilege of comprehensive health insurance as Bahraini citizens do.

Despite this, the statement issued by the ministry denied any decrease in the subsidy of medication prices which is 4.5 million dinars ($11.8 million) annually.

Foreign labor forms 40% of Bahrain's population, which is 650,000 citizens. Kuwait, which also has a large number of foreign workers, started this system last year.