06 August 2025
His Excellency Lieutenant General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior
Her Excellency Dr Jalila bint El-Sayed Jawad Hassan, Minister of Health
The Honourable Shaikh Khalid bin Humood bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Governor of the Capital Governorate
The Honourable Hassan Abdullah Mohammed Al Madani, Governor of the Northern Governorate
The Honourable Salman Bin Isa Bin Hindi Al Mannai, Governor of Muharraq
Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Guests,
It is with great pride that I announce the official designation of the Northern Governorate and Muharraq Governorate as Healthy Governorates by the World Health Organization—joining the Capital Governorate, which received this distinction earlier this year.
I commend the Kingdom of Bahrain for its commitment to scaling up the Healthy Cities Programme and, for the first time in the Region, extending it to the Governorate level. This is a remarkable achievement.
Bahrain is the first country in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to have three Governorates formally recognized under WHO’s Healthy Cities Programme. This recognition reflects a proactive vision to create urban environments that safeguard and promote the physical, mental, and social well-being of all residents.
The journey began in 2018, when Umm al Hassam was designated the first Healthy City in Bahrain.
Then in 2021, Manama became the first capital city in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to be designated a Healthy City.
In 2023, under the leadership of His Excellency the Minister of Interior, the Capital Governorate signed a Letter of Collaboration to expand the model—culminating in WHO certification in January 2025.
In 2024 and 2025, rigorous assessments by the Ministry of