Ministry of Health

About the Ministry of Health:

For the past forty years, Jordan has witnessed expansive growth in the health sector during which great accomplishments have been achieved in various fields of medicine. This has all taken place despite the harsh conditions the country has been through as a result of the Palestinian tragedy (Nakba) of 1948 and 1967, and the negative impact it left.
However, the real boom came after the independence and establishment of the Kingdom and the unification of the two banks of Jordan. This went through the following phases:

·            The first Ministry of Health was established in 14/12/1950.
·            The Ministry began its duties in 1951, the beginning of the health development boom in Jordan.
·            The first accomplishment was the establishment of (6) departments in the districts headed by a physician and under the central administration of the Ministry.
·            1953-The first nursing college was opened.
·            1953- The Central Laboratory for Medical Tests was opened.
·            1954- Doctors Union was established.
·            1962- Princess Mona Nursing College was established.
·            1963- Health insurance was first introduced to the Jordanian Armed Forces.
·            1965- The Ministry implemented the first civil health insurance.
·            1970- College of Medicine at the University of Jordan was established.
·            1971- General Health Law no. (21) was issued.
·            1973- Al Hussein Medical Center was opened.
·            1973- The allied medical professions institute was opened in Amman.
·            1977- Regulation for the Higher Council for Health no. (60) was issued.
·            1978- The allied medical professions institute was opened in Irbid.

·            1980- College of Pharmacy at the University of Jordan was opened.

The Ministry of Health undertakes all health affairs in the Kingdom and its tasks and duties include:
1.        Maintaining public health by offering preventive, treatment and health control services.
2.        Organizing and supervising health services offered by the public and private sectors.
3.        Providing health insurance for the public within available means.
4.        Establishing and controlling the management of health educational and training institutes and centers according to relevant provisions of the legislations enacted.

The Ministry, in coordination with concerned parties, works to achieve the following:
1.        Encourage healthy patterns and behaviors including physical activities, healthy diets and anti-smoking campaigns and other practices scientifically proven to improve health.
2.        Raise public health standards by fighting diseases resulting from malnutrition through adding nutrients like iodine, iron and vitamins to foods, or by changing their components, or by banning marketing food substances that are hazardous to one’s health.
3.        Encourage natural child nursing and ban promoting alternatives to breast-feeding. To this end, the Ministry has the right to stop commercials by any means of the media and control the production, design and publication of such materials.
4.        Provide necessary services for mother and child care during pregnancy, birth, pre and post-natal periods and child growth. Along this line, the Ministry also administers vaccines and promotes family planning campaigns.
5.        Mandatory pre-marital medical testing. Terms and conditions of this test are determined by the acts issued according to provisions of this law. Failing that, no marriage contract will commence.
6.        Provide preventive health services to children in public schools kindergartens and nurseries.
7.        Provide and extend health services to some non-government schools, kindergartens and nurseries or enforce offering them under the supervision of the Ministry.
8.        Implement and control health programs for the old and supervise health conditions of senior citizens’ homes and institutes.
9.        Control the professional environment and health conditions of workers at factories and industrial institutes to ensure their health and safety.
10.     Implement health programs and activities to fight non-contagious spreading diseases such as heart diseases, cancer, diabetes and other similar diseases constituting a threat to public health.         

Contact Ministry of Health