“Ministry of Health”The Pride of Jordan

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We are proud that Jordan is considered the first in the Arab World and the fifth in the world in the field of medical tourism. The medical sector in Jordan meets the highest standards in the medical services provided to patients.

It is our sixth anniversary in (JoHeart). We would like to take this opportunity to introduce the hero of “Jordan Pride” for this distinguished issue, which is “The Ministry of Health of Jordan”.

Here – in the Ministry of Health – all healthrelated strategies, priorities and lofty goals are set in order to preserve the health of Jordanian citizens, and to show the best picture of medical care services in Jordan for the Arab world and the whole world, and to participate in the treatment of our Arab brothers through the mechanisms of medical tourism support. Ministry of Health is the foundation number one in obtaining the global accreditation; from this place, the continuous support of the Ministry of Health and its supervision on all health sectors in Jordan; i.e., the public sector and private sector, in addition to the university and Jordanian Armed Forces / Royal Medical Services sectors, remain the core of excellence for this field in Jordan.

His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Abdul-Latif Wreikat, the simple Jordanian man, who is inundated with the love of Jordan and Jordanian people. A man who really cares about others’ concerns and pains is talking hereunder about the role of Jordanian Ministry of Health as regards aspirations and future plans:

JoHeart: Dr. Abdul Latif Wreikat, according to your distinguished service in the most important and sizable institutions in Jordan; i.e, the Jordanian Armed Forces, the Royal Medical Services, and finally in the Ministry of Health; What were the priorities you have maintained during this long journey? And what are the achievements that you have made in the Ministry of Health to ensure the highest standards of medical treatment for the Jordanian citizens?

Dr. Wreikat: “Ministry of Health is one of the largest ministries in the number of employees and the size of the services provided. It is based on 36 governmental hospitals and 700 comprehensive healthcare centers all around the kingdom. Wherever you are in the kingdom there is an institution relating to the Ministry of Health. It was a great Jordanian effort to ensure such a huge number of medical centers with such highly qualified staff.”

JoHeart: What do you think about the projects of expansion and development in this sector?

Dr. Wreikat: The progress in the medical sector in Jordan is rapid and systematic. It can be defined as follows:

- Al-Bashir Hospital became now Al-Bashir Medical City, with a capacity of 1530 beds, the largest healthcare institution in Jordan with very distinctive comprehensive services. This was accomplished in accordance with the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II; after his visit to the hospital in 1999. Today it has become a highly developed medical city. Some of the major updates in Al-Bashir Hospital are: Department of Radiology, which will be inaugurated soon, is one the most developed in the Middle East and equipped with the latest devices, Department of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Prematurity Section is now with a capacity of 80 prematurity beds with the necessary staff, which is the largest section in the Middle East. We are also establishing a department of Organ Transplantation.

- Prince Hamza Hospital, we have contracted with the private sector, and Armed Forces sector, in addition to professional medical teams in organ transplantation and kidney transplantations. This year, it is considered number one over the medical institutions in Jordan in organ transplantation, with high success rates.

- In Zarqa City, a new hospital, similar to Prince Hamza Hospital, will be established relating to the Faculty of Medicine at the Hashimite University, with a capacity of 500 beds, instead of the old hospital (Hawooz Hospital). Al-Zarqa Governmental Hospital has set for servicing this year; it is possible to turn it into a comprehensive healthcare center, or a Mother and Child Care Center.

- Not only in Amman, Ministry of Health, under the Patronage of His Majesty King Abdulla II, has made major developments in all its hospitals and staff around the kingdom; we have upgraded and expanded all hospitals in Jordan, and established new hospital cities in Irbid, Jerash and Salt, in addition to a new huge integrated hospital with all specialties to be inaugurated in Ma’an soon. So, congratulations to people there for such a great hospital.

- According to a Japanese study about women and childbearing in the south, the result revealed that Jordan is one of the best four countries over the world in the field of mother and child healthcare.
- Regarding vaccination against epidemic and communicable diseases, Jordan is the best country internationally for the current year, but unfortunately, some incoming guests are carriers to these diseases.

JoHeart: What is the role of the Ministry of Health in supporting the private sector, especially in medical tourism issue?

Dr. Wreikat: Ministry of Health in Jordan is simply considered the wise and percipient umbrella of the medical sector.

It achieves a deep conscious vision to strengthen the good relationship between the guest and host to emphasize providing a considerable level of healthcare in various locations all around the kingdom for both Jordanian and non-Jordanian patients.

At the same time there is inspection and censorship in order to control the process. The Ministry of Health supports the private sector and held accountable for their mistakes, if any. I would like to thank the private sector, which has proved its presence to the world.
,br/> JoHeart: What do you say, through “JoHeart magazine”, to all doctors and whoever cares about the pain of patients?

Dr. Wreikat: “God bless your efforts, I hope that you stick to your promise. Honesty in treating the patients is the core of the medical work; we are all here to serve the patient, if there are no patients then there is no need to our existence.

Our time with His Excellency Abdul-Latif Basha Wreikat is almost finished, and we have affirmed our conviction and belief that the Ministry of Health today is the pride of Jordan and the Jordanian people.

Your Excellency Dr. Abdul-Latif Wreikat, thank you indeed.