Bahrain’s Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism has imposed a ban on manufacturing, importing or selling magnetic beads as they pose a high risk.

Anyone caught in breach of ban would face legal action, as stipulated in law (9) of 2016 regarding specifications and standards, reported Bahrain News Agency (BNA), citing an edict from the Ministry.

Undersecretary Eman Al Dosari said that the ban which took effect on April 15 aims to protect children from such harmful products.

She noted the alarming increase in cases of children who swallowed magnetic beads, which may require surgical intervention to save their lives.

“Bahrain is not the first or the only country to ban magnetic beads,” she said, noting that neighbouring countries and developing states have already prohibited such dangerous products.

She asserted the ministry’s resolve to take necessary measures to protect children in coordination with other partners, calling for parents to pay attention to their children’s behaviour, and to get rid of magnetic beads at home.

Doctors have also warned that unless an immediate intervention was taken to extract magnetic beads, children who swallow them might be subjected to high-risk surgeries that require the removal of part of the intestine.