Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Chapter V — Events at Salmaniya Medical Complex
Chapter V — Events at Salmaniya Medical
Complex
A. Factual Background
1. Chronology of Events
674. Located about two kilometres from the GCC Roundabout in the
Salmaniya district of the capital Manama, Salmaniya Medical Complex
(SMC) is the only full-service public hospital in Bahrain. Opened in 1979, it
has a capacity of approximately 1,200 beds 267 and receives approximately
900-1,000 patients per day. 268 In 2009, SMC employed 710 and 1,775 nurses,
as well as other staff. 269 SMC also houses the main morgue in the country.
675. On 14 February 2011, based on Ministry of Interior (MoI) and
intelligence reports that extensive protests would take place in Bahrain, a state
of emergency was declared by SMC administration in anticipation of injuries
that might result from any potential clashes between security forces and
protesters. A state of emergency is typically declared during periods of
anticipated crisis. SMC also declared a state of emergency on 15 and 17
February and 13 and 16 March 2011. During the evening of 14 February,
injured individuals began to gather in the parking lot 270 in front of the SMC
Emergency Section. 271 At around 20:45, Mr Ali Mushaima died at SMC due
to police shotgun pellet wounds sustained earlier during protests. 272 A group
of several hundred individuals gathered at SMC. Some of these individuals,
including journalists, entered the recovery room of the Emergency Section and
took photographs of the admitted cases. Media interviews were conducted
with the family of the deceased and other individuals. Anti-government
chants were heard. According to Ministry of Health (MoH) records, on 14
February 2011, 26 emergency crisis patients presented at SMC and 117
patients were admitted, with four of these admissions being related to the
protest. 273
267 Mechanisms to Reduce Waiting Lists at SMC, Al Wasat News (16 February 2010),
http://www.scdbh.net/vb/archive/index.php/t-10150.html accessed 3 November 2011 (Arabic
Text).
268 The ER of SMC Receives 900 Patients daily, Al Wasat News (30 October 2008),
http://www.alwasatnews.com/2246/news/read/21484/1.html accessed 3 November 2011
(Arabic Text).
269 Ministry of Health,
http://www.moh.gov.bh/PDF/Publications/Statistics/HS2009/PDF/CH01-summary_2009.pdf p
10 accessed 3 November 2011.
270 Unless otherwise indicated, subsequent references to gatherings at SMC indicate gatherings
in the parking lot in front of the Emergency Section.
271 Statement of Witness No. 2 in Case No. 191 of 2011.
272 MoI events log for February and March 2011 p 7.
273 File presented to the Commission by SMC entitled “Salmaniya Medical Complex Statistics
between 14 February and 22 March 2011”. An emergency crisis patient refers to a patient
whose injuries were connected to the events of February/March 2011.
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