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Ammon News - The Economic and Social Council Tuesday tackled the Jordanian health sector section of the annual Country Status Report, as part of a discussion series that brings together a group of experts from the public and private sectors.

Secretary-General of the Council Mitri Madanat highlighted the health sector's challenges and achievements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Challenges, he indicated, include weak governance and poor management and numerous government entities running health services and the lack of coordination between them, in addition to weak monitoring of the private health sector.

However, Madanat underscored the cohesion of the Jordanian health sector in the face of the pandemic, and riding out the first and second waves by conducting tests, providing vaccinations quickly, and establishing field hospitals.

For his part, Adel Bilbeisi, Health Adviser at the Prime Ministry and the COVID-19 pointman, pointed out two key challenges facing the sector; shortage of staff and lack of a unified system of information.

Participants in the session attributed the problem to a "flawed" civil service system, urging a decentralized appointment of health staff. To that end, they recommended developing a scholarship program for Jordanian doctors to study abroad and prioritizing computerization.

Moreover, participants stressed the importance of cooperation between universities and civil medical services with the public sector, activating strategies and following up and evaluating them, conducting research, putting in place binding strategies, and increasing the powers of hospitals' general managers.

Head of the Private Hospitals Association Fawzi Hamouri said the fight against the pandemic has upped the partnership between the public and private sectors, including the provision of PCR testing, immunization and treatment services.

In the upcoming weeks, the council will hold discussion sessions that bring together experts and stakeholders from the macro economy, infrastructure, human resources, community development (1), and community development (2) sectors and areas, in addition to discussing political development and the development of the public sector.