AMH History
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| 1889 | Samuel Zwemerand James Cantine with John G. Lansing found the Arabian Mission of the Reformed Church in America (RCA) |
| 1892 | Samuel Zwemer lands on the shores of Bahrain. Meanwhile, James Cantine sets up a dispensary in Basra (in current day Iraq ) |
| 1893 | Samuel Zwemeropens the first medical dispensary in the Old Souk in Manama. |
| 1894 | Dr. James T. Wyckoff arrives in April, but due to illness, leaves in May 1894. |
| 1895 | Dr. H. R. L. Worrall arrives in Bahrain in 1895. |
| 1896 | Amy Wilkes, an Australian nurse, marries Samuel Zwemer and comes to care for women who are brought to the clinic. She later opens the first school for girls in Bahrain. |
| 1900 | Dr. Sharon J. Thoms and his wife Dr. Marion Wells, graduates in medicine from the University of Michigan, arrive in Bahrain. They become Bahrain's first physicians. Population then: estimated to be 70,000. |
| 1903 | Mason Memorial Hospital, named for its major benefactor, Dr. Alfred DeWitt Mason, is built in 1902 on land sold to the Arabian Mission by Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa. The hospital is dedicated on January 26, 1903. |
| 1910 | Dr Stanley Mylrea, who led this hospital in Bahrain goes to Kuwait and opens one hospital there. The RCA Arabian Mission also supports mission hospitals in Iraq (Basra) and Oman (Muscat). |
AMH History
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| 1911 | Dr Paul Harrison, a Graduate from Johns Hopkins comes to Bahrain |
| 1919 | Spanish Flu Pandemic. Dr Paul Harrison goes to Riyadh, and serves hundreds, including the family of the ruler of Nejd; and comes back to Bahrain |
| 1920 | Dr. Louis P. Dame arrives. In 1923, he is summoned to Arabia (Riyadh) to attend to the seriously ill Shaikh Abdul-Aziz Ibn Saud. Ibn Saud will soon become the first King of Saudi Arabia. |
| 1923 | Bahrain government officials begin to refer to the Mason Memorial Hospital as the “American Mission Hospital.” |
| 1925 | The mission establishes Bahrain’s first mobile dispensary. The clinic extends its reach throughout Bahrain. |
| 1927 | With some funds from US donors and with a generous gift of land and money from Shaikh Hamed bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Marion Wells Thoms Memorial Hospital for women and children is opened |
| 1932 | Dr. Louis Dame leaves Bahrain intermittently to provide medical care in Qatar and for a 74 day, 1900 mile medical tour to Taif in western Saudi Arabia. In Taif patients from Medina, Jeddah and Mecca and surrounding areas come to consult Dr. Dame. |
AMH History
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| 1932 | Young Dr. Wells Thoms (son of Bahrain's first physicians) arrives. His special interest was diseases of the eye. His high level of expertise enhanced the mission’s prestige. |
| 1932 | On June 1,the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco), a subsidiary of Standard Oil, strikes oil in Bahrain. This proved to be a catalyst for profound change in Bahrain. With Bapco’s growth, the Arabian mission became increasingly busy with Bapco workers needing medical care. This was alleviated by the opening of the Awali Hospital in 1937. |
| 1932 | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is founded September 23, 1932. |
| 1935 | Arabian Mission complex in Manama consists of: Mason Memorial Hospital, Marion Wells Thoms Memorial Hospital, Bahrain Nursing Home, doctors’ and nurses’ residences, a chapel, and a girls’ school. |
| 1939 | 167 babies are born in the mission’s hospital for women. |
| 1941 | Dr. Gerald Nykerk arrives May, 1941. |
AMH History
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| 1943 | Bapcoand the Arabian Mission enter into an agreement to assure an adequate provision of medical care to Bapco’s personnel. At that time, five hospitals existed in Bahrain: Government Hospital, Victoria Memorial Hospital, Awali Hospital and the two hospitals of the Arabian Mission. |
| 1948 | The American Mission Hospital in Qatar opens. It was built with monies provided by the Ruler of Qatar. |
| 1957 | 50+ years old Mason Memorial Hospital shows progressive deterioration. Monies were raised from the Ruler of Bahrain, the government, and international merchants to build a new hospital |
| 1962 | Shaikh Isa, the ruler of Bahrain, opens two new hospital buildings on April 26, 1962 (Today's Manama Reception Area and Wards). |
| 1967 | Amidst severe economic challenges of late 1960s, Dr. Alfred Pennings assumes the role of Chief Medical Officer. |
| 1971 | The hospital’s Board of Managers ratifies a constitution in which the hospital officially adopts the name “American Mission Hospital.” AMH is defined as a non-profit institution. |
AMH History
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| 1971 | On August 15, Bahrain is declared an independent sovereign state. With this change comes increasing regulations from the new Ministry of Health. |
| 1972 | In or about 1972, the RCA’s General Program Council tells the AMH Board of Managers that in the future, AMH would have to be largely self-supporting. |
| With the development of independent sovereign states in the Middle East, the Arabian Mission hospitals in Iraq (Amarah) and in Kuwait are closed in 1958 and 1967. | |
| 1973 | The Arabian Mission hospitals in Oman were absorbed into the new state medical program |
| Following the closure of its ‘sister” mission hospitals in Iraq, Kuwait and Oman, AMH experiences turbulent years with significant financial challenges. By 1975, the Arabian Mission is essentially dissolved. | |
| In the mid 1970s, AMH finds itself with its eight full-time physicians competing with a 1,000 bed government hospital employing a few hundred doctors. In 1975, with the hospital complex buildings in various states of disrepair, a master development plan is approved by the Board of Managers. |
AMH History
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| 1978 | Despite this appeal, the 1979 building of the new 25 bed International Hospital, the several hundred bed Salmaniya Medical Center and the 120 bed Bahrain Defence Force Hospital, AMH experiences marked worsening of its financial state. |
| 1980 | Dr. Jack Hill assumes the position of Chief Medical Officer. With the assistance of Don Hepburn (Bapco’s CEO then), Board Chair, and C.R. Panicker, financial consultant, he implements a series of changes which result in a financial turnaround for AMH. |
| 1988 | Dr. Paul Armerdingbecomes AMH’s Chief Medical Officer and Ed Ryan becomes AMH’s Administrator |
AMH History
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| 1988 | The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs appoints an observer to the AMH Board of Directors and the annual contribution of the Bahrain Government is increased to 30,000 BD. His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa communicates his profound admiration and support for the AMH and its staff. |
| Over the next five years, under Dr. Armerding and Mr. Ryan’s leadership, AMH shows progressive growth. | |
| 1993 | In 1993, AMH celebrates its centennial of health services in Bahrain, with a very bright vision for the future. |
| 2000 | New buildings and a new bridge come up (Funds raised through Island Classic Gulf Tournament ) A small AMH Satellite Clinic is opened in Saar |
AMH History
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| 2003 | Centenary Celebrations of the Hospital on 26 January, at the Crown Plaza, Bahrain |
| 2010 | George Cheriyan, MD is appointed CEO of AMH in 2010. He recruits Julia Tovey as second in command |
| 2014 | In 2014, the AMH Board, comprised primarily of Bahraini nationals fires Julia Tovey and attempts to oust George Cheriyan. These efforts are thwarted by the King and the RCA. The Board is dissolved and a new Board is formed comprised of Americans Brad Lewis, John Stapert, Duncan Hansen, and Del Roosevelt as well as Shaikh Mohamed Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa. |
| 2014 | Julia Tovey is reinstated and Dr. Cheriyan remains as the head of AMH. |
| 2014 | Amwaj Islands Clinic opens |
| 2016 | Saar Clinic becomes Saar Medical Centre as it moves into a large purpose-renovated building |
| 2018 | Riffa Clinic opens in 2017. |
| 2018 | The ZwemerClinic opens in 2018 to serve low income patients, especially expat workers from Bangladesh. |
| 2019 | A new, 5 story accommodation complex, within walking distance of the Manama campus, opens in 2019, providing residences for 65 employee families. |
AMH History
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| 2019 | His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa is presented with a plan for the expansion of AMH with a new hospital building proposal. The proposed 775,000 square foot hospital contains 125 beds with state of the art medical technology. The project also includes a 129,000 square foot accommodation facility and beautifully landscaped gardens |
| 2019 | The first stone is laid by Rev. Eddy Aleman, General Secretary of the Reformed Church in America, April 25, 2019. |
| 2020 | In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, the new hospital gets ready, and eventually gets completed on time and on budget. |
| 2021 | The hospital wins ISO, NHRA and CAP accreditations and reaccreditations on quality processes |
| 2022 | The AMH Developmental Center for children, the vision of Julia Tovey, is launched in 2022 in the Saar Clinic under the leadership of Dr. Noor Yasser. |
| 2023 | 120th anniversary. The Crown Prince and Prime Minister HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa opens the King Hamad American Mission Hospital in A'Ali on January 26 |
| 2023 | On January 31, 2023, an agreement is signed between AMH and the Mayo Clinic, to collaborate |
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