Bahrain considers pre-marital medical check-ups

Medical check-ups for couples before marriage would become compulsory if a draft law now being discussed is approved. At its weekly session, the Shura Council discussed a draft law that would make it compulsory for all couples to undergo medical check-ups.

Once approved the law will be implemented by the Health Ministry which will also undertake an awareness campaign. Doctors will provide advice and guidance to the couples and inform them of the impact on their children if they happen to be carriers of a disease.

The proposed law requires all couples to fill in forms and the person who legalises the marriage document is requested to see this form first before formalising the document. Dr. Feisal Al Mousawi, the Health Minister, told the Shura Council that marriage between two people carrying a disease should not take place as it affects the future generation besides causing numerous social problem for the couple.

Dr. Amal Al Jowder, Consultant Family Physician and Health Education Director at the Health Ministry, told Gulf News yesterday that pre marital medical check ups should include sexually transmitted disease and Hepatitis B.

"I took up the subject of screening couples for sexually transmitted disease before marriage during the recently concluded women's forum to secure legal rights and the suggestion received full support," said Dr. Amal Al Jowder who pointed out the need to move with the times to save society from health hazards. She said the problem of AIDS was an international phenomena, and Bahrain and Gulf could notescape from realities.

"So all we can do is to take every possible preventive measure in keeping with the age old saying 'prevention is better than cure'. This is the reason why we are emphasising the need to make it compulsory for all before marriage."

Dr. Amal added that people may love one another but if they were carriers of a disease love would disappear and the marriage would end in disaster.