Page 68 - Historical Summaries (Persian Gulf - Vol II) 1907-1953

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the property of Her Majesty’s Government. After its abandonment the Chief
Quarantine Medical Oilicer kept a small dispensary at Jufair for the treatment oi
the Residency and Agency staff.
146. In 1928 the Bahrain Government appointed a British State Medical
Officer and in 1939 a British lady doctor. In 1940 the construction ot a State
Hospital was completed. Since then the hospital has been extended and additional
British medical personnel have been employed. The medical facilities provided
are adequate but have been criticised locally owing, it is believed, to the greater
number of experts and superior equipment which Kuwait with its greater financial
resources has been able to afford. In addition to the State Hospital the Dutch
Reformed Church of America (paragraph 106 above) maintains a Mission
hospital which has much popular support.
147. The Bahrain Government started anti-malarial work in 1937 and in 1938
obtained the advice on this subject of an expert from India. As a result of the
measures which they have continued to take, malaria has been almost eliminated.
In 1952 preliminary arrangements were made for a World Health Organisation
team to visit Bahrain to advise the local Government regarding the steps to be taken
to combat tuberculosis!*'11) but the proposal came to nothing as the Bahrain
Government were unwilling to meet all the expenditure involved. In 1953 a
representative of the Red Cross Society visited Bahrain in the hope of establishing
a local branch but met with little support. In 1946 a Bahrain Medical Society was
formed which included British Government, State and oil company doctors and
in 1951 a Persian Gulf Medical Society was founded at Bahrain.
148. Until 1950 quarantine arrangements at Bahrain were conducted first
by the Government of India and then by His Majesty’s Government, the Bahrain
Government making a small contribution towards the expenditure. In 1950 the
Bahrain Government took over the whole quarantine service but accepted the
supervisory control of His Majesty’s Government while the latter remained
internationally responsible for their quarantine arangements.C"5) They also took
over the services of the British Quarantine Medical Officer and made him in
addition their Public Health Officer. The Chief Quarantine Medical Officer at the
Residency continues to exercise supervision and the system has worked
satisfactorily.

(/) Nationality and Passports
149. A Bahrain Nationality Law was signed by the Ruler in February 1937
and published the following May (Appendix O (i)). As it enacted that foreigners
who wished to avoid becoming Bahrain nationals under certain of its provisions
should register at the Political Agency an amending Order in Council was issued in
order to provide for such registration. This was repealed when the Order in
Council of 1949 came into force.
150. Passport control was first introduced by the Bahrain Government in
1929 and the State began to issue its own passports in 1930, when a proclamation
on the subject was issued by the Ruler (Appendix O (ii)). Nationals of the other
Gulf Shaikhdoms, Muscat and Saudi Arabia are allowed to enter Bahrain without
visas provided they are in possession of valid travel documents. As the Persian
Government does not recognise Bahrain passports Persians in Bahrain are given
special papers enabling them to leave Bahrain to visit their country and to return
to Bahrain. Her Majesty’s Missions and Consulates are authorised to grant visas
for Bahrain on behalf of the Ruler to all foreigners but it is customary to consult
the Bahrain Government before visas are granted to Indians and Pakistanis
(paragraph 96 above). British passports are granted to Bahrain nationals as
British protected persons for travel to countries where the Ruler’s passports are not
recognised.
(m) Ecclesiastical
, , 151. Anglican Church was opened in Bahrain in 1953 on a site presented
by the Ruler. It is within the diocese of the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem and it
and the priest in charge of it are supported by local subscriptions. A Roman
(aM) (USD 11016/12 of 1952.)
(”4) P.R. toF.O. 14/19/50 of July 14. 1950 (XS 10/91/550 of 1950).
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