Bahrain

Bahrain is rolling out a series of new health care facilities, with both the state and the private sector looking to improve existing medical services and expand treatment options. On February 6, Bahrain opened it latest health facility, the 312-bed King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH).

Benefitting as it does from a respected regulatory environment and rising demand, Bahrain’s insurance industry already performs well among its peers. An increase in infrastructure spending, however, and a renewed government focus on the sector stand to boost its growth even further.

Demand for energy is growing, suggesting the economy is gaining momentum and prompting the Kingdom to boost local production while putting in place plans to secure imported supplies to meet any shortfall. Analysts forecast the Bahraini economy will pick up in 2012 and beyond, with ratings agency Standard & Poor’s predicting in January that GDP will expand by 3.5% this year.

Curriculum development and a new qualifications framework are essential components of Bahrain’s improvements to its education system and take into account the changing needs of the Kingdom’s economy and society. On January 8, the local press reported that the education ministry was calling for the formation of a commission to review all school curricula, bringing in international experts to advise on reform.

Looking to better times in 2012 after a challenging 12 months that saw Bahrain’s economy lose some of its momentum, the Kingdom is seeing signs that several key sectors are moving quickly to recover lost ground in the New Year.