Bahrain’s orthotics, prosthetics, and rehabilitation ecosystem operates within a well-resourced national health system, with services anchored around major government hospitals and a growing private rehabilitation market. Demand is being shaped most strongly by very high diabetes prevalence, an ongoing stroke-related disability burden, and the long-term mobility needs of people living with physical impairments—creating sustained requirement for prosthetic limbs, orthotic bracing, diabetic foot offloading/footwear, mobility aids, physiotherapy, and repairs.

As with other IMEA “system strengthening” narratives, the strategic challenge is not simply device availability—it is ensuring the full rehabilitation pathway performs consistently: referral → assessment → fabrication/fitting → therapy → follow-up → maintenance.

Prevalence & demand drivers (key statistics)

Diabetes

Bahrain is among the highest-prevalence countries globally for diabetes. IDF estimates for 2024:

• 22.1% diabetes prevalence (adults 20–79)
• ~197,600 adults living with diabetes

This directly drives demand for diabetic foot orthoses/offloading, protective footwear, Charcot management, and structured amputation prevention pathways.

Stroke

Stroke remains a significant contributor to disability and rehabilitation needs. A 2025 regional analysis reports:

• Bahrain stroke death rate (2021): 23.45 per 100,000

(Clinically, this translates into steady need for AFOs/KAFOs, upper-limb supports, mobility aids, and neurorehabilitation follow-up.)

Persons with disabilities

Bahrain reports disability through both governmental systems and statistical datasets:

• UN OHCHR meeting summary (2024) referenced ~14,000 persons with disabilities (~2% of the population)
• Bahrain Open Data includes a Census 2020 disability dataset with breakdown by sex/governorate/type

(As elsewhere, figures vary depending on definitions and measurement approach.)

Amputations (diabetes-linked pressure)

Bahrain’s clinical literature consistently highlights diabetic foot complications as a major risk factor for limb loss and a priority for prevention and early intervention.

Bahrain O&P system snapshot

Bahrain’s O&P delivery model is best described as hospital-anchored rehabilitation plus public disability pathways, supported by expanding private sector services:

• A national tertiary backbone centred around Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC), Bahrain’s main government hospital
• Government systems referencing dedicated Prosthetics & Orthotics Centre services within national health and disability support frameworks
• Increasing emphasis on strengthening diabetes care across primary services (important for downstream limb preservation)

Top orthotic & prosthetic service providers in Bahrain

A practical list of visible service anchors shaping delivery today:

1) Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) – Prosthetics & Orthotics Centre (government)

The country’s primary tertiary hospital, consistently referenced as a national service anchor, with established P&O service delivery linked to government pathways.

2) Bahrain Defence Force Royal Medical Services (BDF-RMS) / Military Hospital

A major hospital system with broad specialist capacity, relevant to orthopaedics and rehabilitation pathways serving eligible populations.

3) King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH)

A leading national facility providing multidisciplinary services, including rehabilitation/physiotherapy pathways that interface with orthopaedic and neuro cases.

4) Steps Rehabilitation Center (private sector)

A private rehabilitation provider listing prosthetics and orthotics services as part of its rehabilitation offering.

Key challenges

• Very high diabetes prevalence increases long-term demand for diabetic foot protection and limb preservation pathways
• Follow-up, repairs, and continuity become system bottlenecks as the device user population grows (especially chronic diabetic foot and post-stroke users)
• Ensuring consistent outcomes across public and private pathways while scaling capacity and standardisation

Growth opportunities (what comes next)

• National diabetic foot pathway optimisation: screening → risk stratification → footwear/orthoses/offloading → rapid referral (highest ROI in avoided ulcers/amputations)
• Post-stroke orthotic access: earlier AFO provision and structured follow-up within rehabilitation teams to improve mobility outcomes
• Structured repair & maintenance programs to reduce downtime and extend device life
• Digital workflow adoption (scan → design → fabricate) for faster turnaround, better documentation, and consistency—particularly for high-volume orthoses

IMEA CPO outlook

Bahrain is a high-capacity healthcare market where O&P strategy is increasingly about prevention + continuity + outcomes rather than access alone. With diabetes at 22.1% adult prevalence and sustained stroke/disability needs, the largest national gains will come from scaling diabetic foot prevention, strengthening follow-up and repair pathways, and integrating orthotics earlier into stroke rehabilitation.