Health

Home to the first modern hospital in the region, Bahrain has one of the oldest health care sectors in the Gulf. Sustained investment in the sector has seen outcomes improve considerably for the majority of the population, with life expectancy rising from 71 in 1983 to 77 in 2013 and infant mortality dropping from 21 per 1000 births in 1985 to five in 2013. The sector continues to see new investment from both public bodies and private investors, with recently opened and prospective new facilities including centers for blood disorders and cardiology. Meanwhile, in order to better balance rising costs in line with deficit reduction goals, the government is considering shifting from a state-sponsored health system to an insurance-based model.