violations. Furthermore, it is responsible for making suggestions pertaining to the initiatives aimed at putting an end to these violations, and when necessary, expressing its opinion on the position and reactions of those parties. drugs are not distributed to patients by the pharmacies of the government health centers, and selling them by the private sector pharmacies or through the Internet (online) and purchasing them from neighboring countries is prohibited, and if they are available, there is a delay in dispensing them to patients, which leads in some cases to handing patients drugs close to their expiration dates, thus cannot be used throughout the period of treatment specified on the prescription, thus, could have a serious impact on the patients’ health. The NIHR addressed the government hospitals requesting them to look into solutions to prevent the shortage of medicines in the pharmacy of the Salmaniya Medical Complex in particular, and health centers in general, and investigate the reasons for the shortage of medicines and the delay in dispensing them. 2. The NIHR has monitored (43) cases, of which (17) cases are connected with the individual’s right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable level of health (the right to health), where (6) cases are for ordinary people and (11) cases are related to inmates in reform and rehabilitation centers or pretrial detention centers. The monitoring cases and the actions taken thereon can be summarized as follows: First: Ordinary people 1. The NIHR monitored news about the delay in the supply of medicines from the Ministry of Health to a Bahraini patient, which is difficult to obtain from abroad as its value is 1000 dinars per package, and the concerned patient needs two packages per month due to her poor health condition. Immediately, the NIHR contacted the patient’s family to enquire about her health condition and the measures taken in this matter. It also communicated with the Ministry of Health, and concerted efforts were made to obtain the required medicines. 3. The response of government hospitals explained that those concerned at the Salmaniya Medical Complex provide the pharmacy with more than twelve types of medicine for the treatment of multiple sclerosis patients. The consumption of each type varies on a case-by-case basis according to the medical condition, which is determined by holding weekly meetings between all neurologists to discuss multiple sclerosis cases to determine the treatment plan and appropriate medication for each case. Medications are provided according to the outcome of these meetings, but some patients refuse the type of medication that was approved for them during 2. The NIHR monitored an appeal from the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Multiple Sclerosis Society pertaining to the unavailability of “multiple sclerosis” drugs in the Salmaniya Medical Complex, as these 63

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