Manama: Children born to Bahraini mothers but foreign fathers will be given special cards that will grant them free healthcare, the health ministry said.

Children whose mothers are foreigners, but whose fathers are Bahrainis will also avail of the card to be issued by their local health centres.

The health ministry's move comes in the aftermath of complaints by foreign wives about having to pay fees for medical checkups and treatment despite orders from the prime minister to include them in the category of those who should receive free medical healthcare.

Lawmakers have put pressure on the government to allow children born to non-Bahraini mothers and Bahraini fathers to exempt them from paying fees in government medical and education facilities.

"We had to wait until the government on July 12 endorsed the parliament's call to treat the children born to a non-Bahraini parent like citizens and exempt them from paying the fees imposed on foreigners," the health ministry said.

"We worked on setting up a system that allows a successful implementation of the decision and rule out abuses," the ministry said.

Foreigners in Bahrain have to pay a small fee for a regular checkup at a health centre and full costs at the government health centres and hospitals.
The authorities are still looking into a scheme to make health insurance mandatory for all expatriates under pressure from MPs arguing that the health budget cannot accommodate the heath requirements and needs of the massive non-Bahraini community.

Bahrain is home to more than 570,000 foreigners, mainly unskilled labourers from the Asia working in the booming construction sector.

Foreign children are allowed to study at the free government schools, but, even though they may join the state-run university, the priority is given to Bahrainis and to Gulf nationals.

NGOs and several social activists have been urging the authorities to treat the children born to Bahraini mothers and foreign fathers as nationals with full rights.

Currently, Bahraini mothers cannot pass on their nationality to their children who, under the law, must take up their fathers' citizenship.