Remedying the ills of public health system

His Majesty King Abdullah has urged the need to enhance the health sector’s competitiveness and establish an institutional oversight mechanism to ensure professionalism.

The King’s intervention comes after the shocking news of the death of two girls due to medical malpractice.

During a meeting with officials and representatives from the health sector, the King stressed that medical malpractice is unacceptable and called for continuous training.

Sounding alarm about the increasing number of medical errors in healthcare facilities in Jordan, the National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR) recently said that the main cause of medical errors is the lack of healthcare professionals at healthcare facilities.

Often touted as an advanced health system and a leader of medical tourism in the region, the emergence of frequent medical malpractice reports pose a blot on the vital sector.

It is time to restore the image of Jordan’s health system as reliable and competent and lay a strong foundation for patient safety.

His Majesty has been frequently visiting medical facilities, urging for better healthcare services for citizens. The King even paid undercover and surprise visits to check the quality of services at health facilities.

Jordan’s health system showed its true mettle during the COVID pandemic, deploying the white army on a war footing in the fight against the deadly virus. The selfless acts of Jordan’s healthcare workers won the hearts of all Jordanians. 

However, the prevalence of negligence in the public health sector has claimed valuable lives and stained years of progress in the Kingdom’s medical field.

A well-trained, sufficient staff and an effective oversight mechanism is the need of the hour to remedy the ills of Jordan’s public health system.