Ammon News - Minister of Health Natheer Obaidat said Saturday that Jordan has a shortage of subspecialties and critical care specialists as a result of medical brain drain.

Speaking during a tour of hospitals in Salt Governorate, he said that many world countries attract Jordanian doctors with 34 per cent of University of Jordan and Jordan University of Science and Technology graduates working in the United States, Europe, the Gulf Arab states and other countries.

Obaidat, who was accompanied by ministry officials, said that his ministry is keen that Balqa hospitals offer high-quality service and medication, pledging to address the acute problems that these facilities face, top of which is a shortage of cadres.

The ministry has named a committee to assess the needs of the Kingdom's hospitals of medical, nursing and logistical staff.

Eight MPs who were present during the tour, urged the ministry to deal promptly with the problem of understaffing, noting that the severe shortages directly affect service and leads to overcrowding, particularly in the emergency wards and outpatient clinics.