Health Affairs Committee of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Forum Discusses Challenges in the Sector

The Health Affairs Committee at Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Knowledge Forum (TAGKF) has started its meetings to examine the challenges facing the health sector in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Committee head, Dr. Nidal Younis affirmed that the health sector faces various challenges including financing, man power, facilities, logistic services, as well as the availability of medicines and medical supplies. He stressed that the general circumstances and the ability of the state to create job opportunities and fight poverty and hunger is reflected on its ability to offer comprehensive and high quality healthcare.

Dr. Younis reviewed with the committee the 20016 UN Human Development Report  in which Jordan was ranked as 9^th at the Arab countries’ level and as 86 out of 188 countries in the Human Development Index (HDI).

For their part, members of the Committee stated that the forced migrations to Jordan resulted in huge implications putting pressure on most sectors and services in Jordan including the health sector. They expressed the need for a health security plan in the Kingdom; noting that the Human Development Report underlined the importance of health security as a stabilizing factor for any country.

They also pointed out that there is no real partnership between public and private institutions in this sector, stressing the need for initiating health awareness plans through permanent exhibitions at schools mainly. They also emphasized the importance of incorporating physical and health education in the school curricula as well as  the role  the media should play in health education and awareness.