A LACK of qualified infection control specialists in Bahrain is 'a serious concern' that could be putting the population at risk, experts have warned.
There are only five infectious disease consultants in the country, just two of whom are certified infection control specialists, which may not be enough to cope with a serious outbreak, according to Saudi Society of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases central region director Dr Mushira Enani.
'We live in an era of emerging infections and we need more specialists,' she told the GDN.
'That number is far too low for the population as a whole '“ we have more than 40 in Saudi Arabia.'
Dr Enani, who is also the infectious diseases head at King Fahad Medical City in Riyadh, said more students needed to be encouraged to take up the speciality.
Bahrain Health Ministry Infection Control Department chairwoman Dr Huda Al Ansari agreed that there was a limited number of undergraduates considering a career in infectious disease.
'Not all infectious disease consultants are infection control specialists '“ there are just two of us who are doubly certified in Bahrain, myself and Dr Safa Al Khawaja,' she said.
'We definitely need more consultants and specialists in Bahrain to cope with the needs of our increasing population in a period of emerging infections.'
Although Dr Al Ansari likewise recommended that more students be trained in the field of infectious diseases, she said it was important to understand that it took many years of study for a student to become a consultant.
'After receiving postgraduate certification we have to do another minimum of two to three years working in a specialist centre to become a consultant,' she said.
'There are other specialties which also take as long, but in this case we deal with infection and microbes that are highly infectious.
'A lot of people don't want to work with that category of patients and prefer other specialties.'
Dr Al Ansari, who was the first Bahraini infectious disease consultant and has 19 years experience in the field, said the amount of work that needs to be done to become an infectious disease specialist could also be off-putting to young doctors.
'You need to know how these infections are transmitted, keep track of statistics, be proactive and develop strategies,' she said.
'You need to compile a lot of resources '“ it is not just simply dealing with patients, but with the healthcare system as a whole which includes technicians and the domestic side such as laundry and cleaning.'
An absence of infectious disease modules in undergraduate curriculum was only serving to compound the problem, she added.
'The subject is not well studied at undergraduate level and some students only face it for the first time when they come to the hospital,' she said.
'We need to build a system in our schools in which our medical students learn about this subject, so that they are aware of it and are prepared to face it when they reach hospital.'
According to the latest World Health Organisation (WHO) figures, more than 1,000 cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Cornavirus (Mers-CoV) have been confirmed since it was first identified in 2012.
At least 376 people have died from the infectious disease, the vast majority in Saudi Arabia.
A UN delegation visited Saudi Arabia last month and criticised 'critical gaps in knowledge' on 'how and why' MERS-CoV infections occur, which must be addressed if the outbreak is to be stopped.
raji@gdn.com.bh