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 Introduction:
THE STATE OF BAHRAIN
The state of Bahrain consist of 36 islands
covering an area of 696.26 square kilometres.
It is located in the Arabian Gulf, 15
and 18 miles from the coasts of Saudi
Arabia and Qatar respectively(1).
The largest island is also called Bahrain,
and it is here that the capital city,
Manama, and the largest residential towns
are located. This island is linked by
causeway to Muharraq, the second largest
island and the location of the Bahrain
International Airport. Bahrain is also
linked by a causeway to the Arabian peninsula.
HISTORY OF HEALTH SERVICES IN THE STATE
OF BAHRAIN
The history of health services in Bahrain
goes back to the first hospital constructed
in Bahrain in 1900, the Victoria Hospital.
The American Mission Hospital (initially
called the Mission Memorial Hospital)
was built in 1902 for male patients only.
Another ward was opened in 1926 for female
patients. The first motorcar was used
in 1926 by the American Mission Hospital
to transport physicians for the treatment
of people living in outlying villages.
In 1925 the Ministry of Health services
began as a clinic opened in a small shop-front
in the city of Muharraq where the government
employed an Indian doctor to treat injured
pearl divers(2).
Bahrain became an oil-producing country
in 1932. The subsequent construction of
a refinery led to the first planned provision
of emergency medical care. The Bahrain
Petroleum Company built and staffed a
hospital at the oil town of Awali in 1937.
It provided an ambulance service just
before the Second World War<3). The
Ministry of Health ambulance service began
in 1950 when the British army donated
the first vehicle to the government. It
was used for transportation services only(4).
Salrnaniya Medical Complex (S.M.C.) was
established in 1957. It was renovated
in 1978 and further developed in 1984
to function as a teaching hospital for
the Arabian Gulf University College of
Medicine and Medical Sciences. Its current
capacity is 887 beds (including the maternity
unit).
PRESENT HEALTH FACILITIES IN THE STATE
OF BAHRAIN
The population of Bahrain is concentrated
into the northern and eastern parts of
the island, particularly around the main
centres of Manama and Muharraq. The provision
of health facilities has evolved to reflect
this population distribution. Health services
in Bahrain are divided into(5):
1. The Public Sector
a. Ministry of Health (primary health
care, secondary health care)
b. Bahrain Defence Force
c. public security health centres
2. The Private Sector
a. private hospitals
b. private clinics
HISTORY of MAJOR DISASTERS in BAHRAIN
In discussing possible causes of disaster
that might occur in Bahrain, the types
of disasters that have occurred in Bahrain
in modem times should also be examined.
The resilience of the inhabitants of Bahrain
is exemplified by their response to catastrophes
and tragedies over the last century. The
origin of the first Christian cemetery,
for example, can be found in the measles
epidemic during which many schoolchildren
died. At the beginning of the century
(around 1904), there was a cholera epidemic,
which spread over the island and caused
some 2,000 deaths(6).
Nature too has played a major role. A
massive hurricane in 1925 destroyed numerous
buildings and houses and contributed to
the sinking of a large number of pearl
diving ships with the resultant loss of
hundreds of lives(?). Again in 1963 the
ship Dara sank in violent storms off the
coast of Bahrain leaving hundreds of
casualties(6).
When a Bahraini merchant decided in 1935
to distribute money to the poor, more
than 2000 people crowded into a narrow
passageway that led to the inner courtyard
of his home. The ] result was complete
pandemonium. The ensuing panic as people
tried to force their way out caused a
large number of people, mainly women and
children, to be crushed and trampled I
underfoot. Almost 100 people died(6).
The ravages of war too have had a major
impact on creating disasters in Bahrain(8).
At the outbreak of the Second World War
in 1940, Italian war planes raided the
Bapco oil fields in Bahrain and eastern
Saudi Arabia. Many targets were hit and
serious damage was reported, however without
major loss of life. Later in the same
year the British navy sank an Italian
submarine at Homuz, resulting in the total
loss of the crew. Since the Second World
War in the years between 1981 and 1989,
the Iran-Iraq war contributed to further
numerous disasters including oil spills,
the bombing of an American warship, and
the shooting down of an Italian civilian
airplane. During the Gulf War of 1991,
again Bahrain was not exempt from serious
damage as scattered Scud missiles strayed
onto the island. Numerous oil spills were
also a result of the bombing(8).
With the influx of motor vehicles, which
far exceed the recent Ta population growth,
major road traffic accidents have created
more problems, particularly when bus accidents
involving more than 30 people result in
major loss of life. Such accidents are
becoming an all too frequent occurrence.
Massive fires and explosions have also
become more commonplace, creating major
control problems especially when large
congregations of people are involved,
such as restaurants and movie theatres.
Almost 50 years ago, there were two air
crashes in Bahraini waters, which until
this day have never been adequately explained.
A shamal wind was blowing gusts of 25 knots
on the evening of 12 June 1950 as an Air
France airplane with a crew of eight and
44 passengers crashed when approaching
the Bahrain airport. Some six people survived.
In an almost unbelievable coincidence,
history repeated itself 48 hours later
on 14 June, when another Air France DC4crashed
taking with it some 45 passengers, the
usual crew of eight and some official
inspectors who had been sent to assess
the wreckage of the previously crashed
aircraft. While another shamal was blowing,
this aircraft crashed almost at the same
site as the first. Three crew including
the pilot and 37 passengers were sent
to their graves. However 13 people survived.
Freak accidents such as these seldom happen
anywhere in the world. In the space of
just two days, 86 people believed to be
French, died as the result of two almost
identical incidents. But just over a year
ago, on 25 August 2000 ("Black Tuesday"),
a larger Gulf Air airplane (GF072) crashed
just short of the runway. This was an
ultra modern airbus and resulted in the
loss of all passengers and crew, a total
of 143 lives. The after-effects and resultant
investigations emphasize the immediate
need for the provision of an effective
disaster plan for the state of Bahrain.
ANALYSIS OF POSSIBLE HIGH RISK DISASTERS
IN BAHRAIN
To manage disasters, one must consider
the possible types of disasters that might
occur in Bahrain as well as analyze the
possible high-risk disasters.
1. Population analysis: according to the
1991 census, the total population was
508,037. Of this number, 347,000 are Bahrainis,
174,200 of whom male and 172,800 female.
The number of non-Bahrainis is 169,400,
122,700 of whom male and 46,700 female.
Most of the population is concentrated
in the major cities of Manama, Muharraq,
and Riffa (27%, 14.6%, and 9.8%, respectively).
Manama has the highest density of population
(5,304 persons/km2), followed by Muharraq
(4,527 persons/km2). Jidhafs, Isa Town,
and Hamad Town have almost the same densities
(2,053, 2,792, and 2,215, respectively).
The Bahraini population falls mostly in
the younger age group, with 50% of the
population under the age of 25 years and
85% under 45.
|
Area
|
Area Km2
|
Population %
|
Density
|
|
Hidd
Muharraq
Manama
Jidhaffs
Northern
Sitra
Central
Isa Town
Riffa
Western/Eastern
Hamad Town
Hawar
|
10.78
20.83
26.09
24.3
37.26
29.17
35.34
12.43
291.64
156.11
13.12
51.75
|
1.7
14.6
27
8.8
6.6
7.2
6.8
6.8
9.8
4.9
5.7
--
|
1,380
4,527
5,304
2,053
913
1,275
971
2,792
197
177
2,215
---
|
|
Total
|
709.49
|
100
|
731
|
|
Table1. Areas of Bahrain,
Size, and Population Density
|
|
Age Groups (yrs)
|
%
|
CUM%
|
|
0-4
5-14
15-24
25-44
45-64
65+
|
11.8
19.9
16.2
40.4
9.5
22
|
11.8
31.7
47.9
88.3
97.3
100
|
|
Total
|
100
|
100
|
|
Table 2. Age Distribution
of Bahrain Population
|
 |
 |
|
Table 3
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Table 5
|
 |
 |
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Table 4
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Table 6
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According to the 1992 Demographic Yearbook,
published by the United Nations, Bahrain
is one of the most populated countries
in Asia, where the density of population
is 786 people per square kilometre. It
is only surpassed by Bangladesh, with
828 people per square kilometre, Singapore,
with 4,560 people per square kilometre,
and Hong Kong, with 5,406 people per square
kilometre(9). Table 3 gives the population
density of the Arab countries showing
that Bahrain is followed by Palestine
with 236 people per square kilometre(10).
1. Analysis of high density locations
in Bahrain: there are 269 schools and
nurseries in Bahrain with a total of 132,149
students. In addition there are 41 hotels,
with an average of 463,483 occupants per
year and three cinemas with 2,302 seats,
averaging 754,000 visitors a year1.
2. Factory initiated disasters: Bahrain
has 2,291 registered factories. Table
4 shows the distribution of factories
in major towns.
3. Possible water contamination: Bahrain
has 2,125 water wells. Of these, 1,469
were mechanically excavated and the remaining
657 were hand-dug. The distribution of
water networks and their sources in Bahrain
is wide spread (12).
4. Power stations: The distribution
of power stations in Bahrain is concentrated
in the high density population areas.
5. Road traffic accidents: The total number
of road traffic accidents in 1994 reached
32,004. As a result of these accidents,
there were a total number of 2,673 injuries,
including 56 deaths, 487 serious injuries,
and 2,130 slight injuries. This number
of accidents is considerably high, also
in view of the fact that the total number
of cars in Bahrain was 152,628 and the
damaged vehicles numbered 49,072.
6. Accidents caused by fire: In 1994,
the number of accidents caused by fire
was 1,106. Table 5 shows the distribution
of fire-caused accidents.
Table 6. Distribution of fire-caused accidents
by area.
7. Oil-related disasters: In addition
to common disasters such as fire, road
traffic accidents, and airline crashes,
Bahrain is susceptible to oil-related
disasters, with around 342 oil producing
wells, 29 gas producing wells, 18 gas
injection wells, 58 closed wells, and
53 abandoned wells: in all a total of
500 oil wells. In addition, there are
possible industrial petro-chemical accidents.
Because of Bahrain's location in the Gulf,
and also the considerable amounts of oil
transportation, there is the ever- present
possibility of oil spills.
8. War and terrorist-initiated activities:
the Gulf's recent political situation
makes Bahrain continuously susceptible
to war and terrorist-related acts.
9. Nuclear accidents. The establishment
of nuclear plants in south-west Iran does
not rule out the possibility of nuclear
accidents.
10.Petrol stations: The distribution of
Bahrain's 30 petrol stations is too concentrated
in the high density population areas.
Recommendations:
1. Since Bahrain is a state within the
Gulf Cooperation Council governed by common
geography and economil, political, and
social factors, there should be a G.C.C.
national plan for managing disasters.
The 1991 Gulf War pointed out the necessity
for such a plan.
2. Within the regional plan, Bahrain should
have its own national disaster plan. Such
a plan should involve various ministries
and institutions, for example, the:
1. Ministry of Health
2. Bahrain Defence Force
3. Ministry of Interior
4. Ministry of Industry
5. Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
6. Ministry of Electricity and Water
Should there be regional or national emergencies,
a command centre coordinating these institutions
is an absolute necessity.
3. Within this national disaster plan,
there should be a national health plan
for disasters. Such a plan should coordinate
Bahrain's various hospitals, health centres,
and clinics. A command centre should also
be established.
4. Within the national health plan, each
hospital, health centre, and clinic should
have its own plan for internal and external
disasters.
References:
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