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Since the start of the [[Bahraini uprising (2011–present)|Bahraini uprising]] in 2011 and subsequent government crackdown, RCSI-Bahrain has been caught in controversy. The college was criticized for not supporting its graduates or students who have been victimized by the [[Bahraini government]]. In May 2011, the college questioned three students who had taken part in the protests at the request of Bahrain's Ministry of Education and in March 2013 its newly appointed president resigned over the alleged government cancellation of an ethics conference. More recently, in late May 2013, a group of Irish lawyers called upon the [[Medical Council in Ireland]] to deny accreditation to the college due to human rights violations occurring at hospitals connected with it.
Since the start of the [[Bahraini uprising (2011–present)|Bahraini uprising]] in 2011 and subsequent government crackdown, RCSI-Bahrain has been caught in controversy. The college was criticized for not supporting its graduates or students who have been victimized by the [[Bahraini government]]. In May 2011, the college questioned three students who had taken part in the protests at the request of Bahrain's Ministry of Education and in March 2013 its newly appointed president resigned over the alleged government cancellation of an ethics conference. More recently, in late May 2013, a group of Irish lawyers called upon the [[Medical Council in Ireland]] to deny accreditation to the college due to human rights violations occurring at hospitals connected with it.

==Campus==

The college's campus, upon its establishment, was temporarily in the [[Seef]] district of [[Manama]], the capital city.<ref name="RCSI.ie">{{cite web| title=RCSI Bahrain |publisher=[[RCSI]] |accessdate=3 June 2013 |url=http://www.rcsi.ie/rcsi_bahrain}}</ref> It was opened in 2004 by the Bahrain Prime Minister and the then-Premier and Ireland Prime Minister [[Bertie Ahern]].<ref name="TA 3.2.2009"/><ref name="about"/> In 2005, the government of Bahrain donated a tract of land located in [[Busaiteen]] on the neighboring island of [[Muharraq]] where construction of a new permanent campus began.<ref name="RCSI.ie"/> In October 2008, students and staff moved to the new 15,750-m<sup>2</sup> campus.{{sfn|RCSI-Bahrain|2012|p=4}}<ref name="RCSI.ie"/> Official opening was in February 2009, by the then-president of [[Ireland]], [[Mary McAleese]] and presence of Bahrain Prime Minister, Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa.<ref name="TA 3.2.2009">{{cite news|title=$65m campus for RCSI university.|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-193111843.html|accessdate=2 December 2012|newspaper=TradeArabia (via HighBeam Research)|date=3 February 2009}}</ref><ref name="RCSI.ie"/>

The campus, located next to the newly constructed King Hamad University Hospital,<ref name="RCSI.ie"/> can accommodate up to 2,000 students<ref name="TA 3.2.2009"/> and has "fully integrated IT system and wireless access" that covers 80 percent of the area.{{sfn|RCSI-Bahrain|2012|p=4}}<ref name="RCSI.ie"/> The campus is composed of a six-story building and a 900-m<sup>2</sup> sports hall.{{sfn|RCSI-Bahrain|2012|p=4}} The building contains "three lecture theaters, three laboratories, nine tutorial rooms and a large library with several group study rooms"<ref name="about"/> as well as "offices, [and a] cafeteria."{{sfn|RCSI-Bahrain|2012|p=4}} The total investment in the campus is estimated at US$65 million.<ref name="TA 3.2.2009"/>


== Bahraini uprising ==
== Bahraini uprising ==

Revision as of 14:26, 7 June 2013

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland−Medical University of Bahrain
الكلية الملكية للجراحين في ايرلندا- جامعة البحرين الطبية
File:RCSI-Bahrain.gif
Motto
Consilio Manuque
Motto in English
Scholarship and Dexterity
TypePrivate
Established2004
EndowmentUS$65 million[1]
PresidentSameer Otoom (Interim President)[2]
Academic staff
53 (2012)[3]
Administrative staff
70 (2012)[3]
Students1,186 (2013)[4]
Undergraduates992 (2012)[3]
Postgraduates36 (2012)[3]
Location
Busaiteen
,
Bahrain
CampusUrban
Websitewww.rcsi-mub.com

The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain (RSCI-Bahrain) also known as the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI-MUB; Arabic: الكلية الملكية للجراحين في ايرلندا- جامعة البحرين الطبية) is a constituent university of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

It was founded in 2004 as a medical school, the third such school in Bahrain. In 2006, the college opened its doors for nursing students and established the School of Postgraduate Studies. Until 2008, the campus was located in the Seef district of Manama. The current 15,750m2 campus is located in Busaiteen, in Muharraq island next to King Hamad University Hospital, the main clinical facility for student teaching. Other hospitals that the college work with include Salmaniya Medical Complex and Bahrain Defence Force Hospital.

RCSI-Bahrain medical school shares the same curriculum and examinations with RCSI (Dublin) and costs BD13,000 a year. The college produced its first medical graduating class in June 2010 awarding them with Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery as well as other degrees. In 2013, the student body grew to over 1,100 students coming from over 40 different nationalities. About 200 staff work with the college, most of them Irish or Bahraini.

Since the start of the Bahraini uprising in 2011 and subsequent government crackdown, RCSI-Bahrain has been caught in controversy. The college was criticized for not supporting its graduates or students who have been victimized by the Bahraini government. In May 2011, the college questioned three students who had taken part in the protests at the request of Bahrain's Ministry of Education and in March 2013 its newly appointed president resigned over the alleged government cancellation of an ethics conference. More recently, in late May 2013, a group of Irish lawyers called upon the Medical Council in Ireland to deny accreditation to the college due to human rights violations occurring at hospitals connected with it.

Bahraini uprising

Context

Protests at Pearl Roundabout in February 2011

Beginning in February 2011, Bahrain saw sustained pro-democracy protests, centered at Pearl Roundabout in the capital of Manama, as part of the wider Arab Spring. Authorities responded with a night raid on 17 February (later referred to by protesters as Bloody Thursday), which left four protesters dead and more than 300 injured.[5] Health workers played an important role in documenting the injuries, which were at the time downplayed or denied by the government of Bahrain.[6] At Salmaniya Medical Complex, doctors joined the protests themselves, speaking to protesters and media from the hospital stairs, after authorities blocked ambulances from bringing injured protesters there for care. The military responded by naming the hospital an opposition stronghold, taking it over on March 16.[7] In March and April 2011, more than seventy health workers were arrested during night raids for their actions during the protests, many of them alleging to have been tortured in custody.[8][9]

At least three of the arrested medics had studied in RCSI[10][11] and Bahrain Centre for Human Rights reported that over 30 RCSI-Bahrain nursing graduates were "denied work placements [in King Hamad University Hospital] on the basis of their religion."[12][13]

RCSI-Bahrain controversy

A record for a meeting conducted with a student in May 2011

RCSI-Bahrain was caught in controversy since 2011 following the start of government crackdown and arrest of some medics who had been trained by RCSI (Dublin).[14] Prior to that, the college "seemed a model of medical education excellence. It had an enviable record of producing well qualified medical professionals."[8] The college has come under criticism for not supporting its graduates or students who have been victims of the crackdown against the uprising and who have been arrested,[15] and for not speaking against government crackdown.[11] The issue was raised in the Irish Seanad.[16]

Student questioning

According to the Irish Medical Times, RCSI-Bahrain questioned three students who had participated in anti-government protests in February 2011.[17] Students were asked to "swear an oath of loyalty to the Bahraini Royal Family and sign a declaration that they would not participate in further protests."[18] The questioning took place while the country was in a state of emergency and was at the request of Bahrain's Ministry of Education, which also provided the college with photographs.[17] The aforementioned ministry withdrew sponsorships from three other students, but restored them later.[17]

Describing the action as "wholly inappropriate" RCSI (Dublin) CEO said the questioning was undertaken by a senior officer "without the knowledge or authority of the College" and that they only had known about it from an Irish barrister.[18] In October, professor Tom Collins, who had been recently appointed president of RCSI-Bahrain, apologized to the questioned students.[17] The incident was highlighted by Ceartas (Irish lawyers for human rights) as an example of the "restrictive environment that RCSI-MUB operates in".[19]

Irish fact-finding delegation

Irish delegation press conference in Dublin on 15 July 2011

In July 2011, a group of Irish doctors, politicians and human rights representatives led by orthopedic surgeon Damien McCormack traveled to Bahrain and met with medics and their families as well as some government officials.[20] They also visited RCSI-Bahrain campus.[21] Among them was professor Eoin O'Brien of University College Dublin.[8] Following his return to Dublin, he said he was told by the then-president and vice president of RCSI to "tone down his criticism as it was damaging the reputation of RCSI".[8] "I said that the college by its silence was seen as being complicit with the Bahrain regime and I urged them not to compromise principle for the sake of financial involvement," O'Brien added.[8] The RCSI CEO, professor Cathal Kelly, rejected "accusations that the RCSI was allowing financial considerations trump human rights."[10]

Medical ethics conference

Professor Tom Collins, who served as the president of RCSI-Bahrain between October 2011 and March 2013

In March 2013, Collins resigned from his position as president following cancellation of a conference on medical ethics.[11] According to Collins the conference titled "Medical ethics and dilemmas in situations of political discord or violence" and co-sponsored by RCSI-Bahrain and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was given verbal approval from Bahrain's Crown Prince in the Autumn of 2012.[11] However, Collins added that "the written permission never arrived" and thus the conference was cancelled.[11]

Bahrain's government spokesperson, Samira Rajab accused Collins of "utter lies" adding that the government of Bahrain had sent a written permission since December 2012.[10] Rajab also criticized the way Collin's resignation was announced, describing it as "media and political stir" that is not in line with the academic standards of "prestigious educational institutions".[22] Bart Janssens of MSF said they had indeed received a written permission, but added that there was a "clear message" against holding the conference.[23]

In the wake of Collin's resignation, a delegation from RCSI headed by its CEO and president visited Bahrain and met several government officials including the Prime Minister.[24] According to Bahrain News Agency, the delegation "expressed regret over the circumstances that surrounded the resignation of former president of RCSI-Bahrain".[24] The government of Bahrain was satisfied with the response with the Prime Minister reaffirming support and expressing appreciation to RCSI.[24]

MSF said they had chosen Bahrain, because of its "own recent experience with the politicization of medicine".[25] "It's a fact that in many countries, as in Bahrain, hospitals have become forefront places for political struggles, and people who are injured can not find in any way a sort of neutral space where only clinical medicine is practiced and not find political discussions," they added.[25] Collins said in late May 2013 that the cancelled conference was "one way the RCSI could address the situation in Bahrain as an academic institution".[26] He criticized government of Bahrain for its "heavy-handed oppression" and said the college was "extraordinarily powerless in Bahrain".[26] "If the price of being there is compliance [with oppression], then that is to compromise the very essence of higher education," he added.[26]

Irish Medical Council accreditation

Since it started teaching in 2004, RCSI-Bahrain was not accredited by Medical Council in Ireland as required.[27] A visit to Bahrain is scheduled in the second half of 2013.[28] In May 2013, Ceartas, a group of Irish lawyers issued a report asking the Medical Council in Ireland to deny RCSI-Bahrain of its accreditation.[8] The report argued that Irish jurisdiction applied to RCSI-Bahrain, since it was completely owned by RCSI (Dublin).[8] "[RCSI-Bahrain has] an education programme integrated with health systems connected to torture, discriminatory conduct in the provision of healthcare and employment of medical staff, and consistent violation of the rights to freedom of expression", the report added.[8] Initially, RCSI refused to give any responses "until [they] have seen and studied the report",[8] later they rejected its conclusion that "[RCSI] Bahrain campus was not fit for accreditation."[26]

See also

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference TA 3.2.2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "RCSI Bahrain – Management". RCSI-Bahrain. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d RCSI-Bahrain 2012, p. 5.
  4. ^ "About RCSI Bahrain". RCSI-Bahrain. 18 March 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Bahrain protests: Police break up Pearl Square crowd". BBC News. 17 February 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  6. ^ "Bahrain military court finds medics guilty". Amnesty International. 29 September 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
  7. ^ "Health Services Paralyzed: Bahrain's Military Crackdown on Patients" (PDF). Doctors Without Borders. April 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i Bill Law (30 May 2013). "Irish medical campus in Bahrain challenged". BBC. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  9. ^ "Under the Gun: Ongoing Assaults on Bahrain's Health System" (PDF). Physicians for Human Rights. May 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  10. ^ a b c Mary Fitzgerald (26 March 2013). "College of surgeons Bahrain head quits over conference permit". Irish Times. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  11. ^ a b c d e Robert Fisk (24 March 2013). "Bahrain hit by doctors' desertion". The Independent. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  12. ^ Gearoid O Cuinn (30 May 2013). "Ceartas urges Irish Medical Council not to accredit Bahrain facility linked to rights abuses". Ceartas (Irish lawyers for human rights). Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  13. ^ Ceartas 2013, p. 19.
  14. ^ Mary Fitzgerald (30 May 2013). "Call for Irish Medical Council not to accredit RCSI-Bahrain campus". Irish Times. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  15. ^ Scores disappear as Bahrain's uprising continues The Irish Times, Monday, March 28, 2011
  16. ^ Human Rights Issues Seanad Éireann Debate Vol. 208 No. 9, Thursday, 16 June 2011
  17. ^ a b c d Dara Gantly (12 October 2011). "Exclusive breaking news: RCSI says treatment of students in Bahrain 'unacceptable'". Irish Medical Times. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  18. ^ a b Dara Gantly (12 October 2011). "Exclusive: 'Wholly inappropriate' actions taken without College's knowledge". Irish Medical Times. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  19. ^ Ceartas 2013, p. 17.
  20. ^ Mary Fitzgerald (12 July 2011). "Irish delegation travels to Bahrain". Irish Times. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  21. ^ Ceartas 2013, p. 3.
  22. ^ "سميرة رجب: تبريرات رئيس الكلية الايرلندية للاستقالة محض افتراء". Al-Wasat (in Arabic). Bahrain News Agency. 26 March 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  23. ^ Mary Fitzgerald (29 March 2013). "RCSI delegation to visit Bahrain after resignation". Irish Times. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  24. ^ a b c Joe Humphreys (3 April 2013). "Bahrain government welcomes improved relations with RCSI after ethics row". Irish Times. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  25. ^ a b Dan Murphy (25 March 2013). "US-ally Bahrain blocks medical ethics conference". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  26. ^ a b c d Mary Fitzgerald (1 June 2013). "College of Surgeons 'powerless' in Bahrain, says former campus head". Irish Times. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  27. ^ "Call over Bahrain medical college". Irish Independent. 30 May 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
  28. ^ Sharmila Devi (30 May 2013). "Rights abuses linked to Irish surgical college in Bahrain". The Lancet. Retrieved 2 June 2013.

Bibliography

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