Doctors, nurses commend planned amendments to Penal Code

AMMAN — The Jordan Medical Association (JMA) on Thursday voiced its full support for a Cabinet decision that entails stiffening penalties in cases of assaults on medical personnel, a move it has been requesting for a long time.

“The decision is proof of the righteousness of the demands that we have been voicing for a long time. It is also proof of the positive things that can happen when the government cooperates with professional associations,” JMA President Hashem Abu Hassan told The Jordan Times.

He commended a particular provision of the new draft amendments to the Penal Code that stipulate no less than one-year imprisonment for those who assault doctors or nurses.

“There has always been social pressure disguised as goodwill to fix the situation in cases of assaults. This is a huge imbalance that the new amendments have managed to address. No assailant can escape at least one year in prison,” said Abu Hassan, who is also a senator.

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved the mandating reasons for these draft amendments and referred them to the Legislation and Opinion Bureau for examination.

Abu Hassan pointed out that applying the law in the past couple of years has significantly reduced the number of attacks on doctors.

In 2013, 89 assaults on doctors were registered.

“However, measures taken by the Health Ministry in the last few years to protect doctors, such as having liaison officers in hot spots and taking legal action against assailants, have improved the situation,” the JMA president said, noting that 29 cases were recorded in 2014 and 20 since the start of this year.

He said citizens have the right to file complaints against medical personnel at the Health Ministry, adding that this entrenches the rule of law.

“People should know that they can go through legal channels to report malpractice and any other harm caused by doctors.”

The Jordan Nurses and Midwives Association (JNMA) also praised the decision, saying that it will “definitely reduce the number of attacks on nurses”.

“The decision will also help restore respect for professions like nursing and teaching and how unacceptable it is to attack them,” JNMA President Mohammad Hatamleh told The Jordan Times.

The amended law stipulates no less than one-year imprisonment for those who assault teachers, faculty members at colleges and universities, nurses and doctors while they are on duty.

The punishment also applies if the educators or healthcare workers are attacked for an action or decision they have taken in their professional capacity.