Manama: Bahrain Medical Society will support parliamentary poll candidates who will endorse its quest for better working conditions and improve health standards, the society said.
"As a vocational society, we do not have the right to contest the legislative elections. However, we will support the candidates whose platform includes enhancing doctors' professional status and set out ways to improve health standards," said Dr Ahmad Jamal, the society's secretary general.
"We have common concerns about better health conditions and we are exploring all legal ways to reinforce our drive for higher standards."
However, he said that society members had the right to endorse the candidates they liked. "Our members have their own ideologies and opinions and it is difficult to gear all views towards one specific political platform. They have the freedom to choose the candidate who, they believe, will best serve the interests of the health sector," he said.
Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) earlier this month said that it would either field its own candidates or support those who will promote business interests.
Parliamentary elections are expected to be held this autumn. Bahrain has 17 officially registered political societies and 16 have said that they would contest in the elections. Independent candidates can also run in the polls.
