ammonnews.net

Ammon News - Lawmakers on Monday passed the Jordan Medical Council draft law during a session chaired by the Speaker Abdul Karim Dughmi and attended by Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh.

After an extended debate, the legislature approved Article 17 of the draft as it came from the Parliamentary Health and Environment Committee.

Article 17 of the Jordanian Board Exam exempts the categories stipulated in the draft law, including a doctor who obtained the highest specialty certificate from outside the Kingdom before the date of December 13, 2001, provided that his/her certificate is verified by a specialized committee in the council, and a doctor who obtained the highest specialty certificate from a country linked with the Kingdom by mutual accreditation agreements that are endorsed by the Council.

The article also exempts a doctor who holds the highest specialty degree under an approved training program that ended with passing the exam designated in the country where he had training, and who holds a license to practice the profession valid for 3 consecutive years, during which he practiced his specialization in the country that granted him the license to practice, and in line with instructions issued by the Council of Ministers for this purpose based on placement by the board.

In his reply to the lawmakers, Health Minister Firas Hawari said that Article 17 came to address many health human resources issues, including medical staff shortage and latest developments that occurred in the medical field.

He added that the article placed stringent conditions on doctors, including training in an accredited program, and having practiced the profession in the country in which he/she obtained the specialty certificate for a period of 3 years, as this article is governed by instructions.

The 24-article draft law, which was passes after several days of debate, grants legal personality and financial and administrative independence to the Medical Council.

The council comprises the Minister of Health, as chairman, and as members: the Council's Secretary-General, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health for Administrative and Technical Affairs, the Director-General of the Royal Medical Services, and the presidents of the medical, dental and pharmacists association.

It also groups the deans of the faculties of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy in any of the official Jordanian universities, rotating for two years upon a decision by the minister, as well as one of the deans of these faculties in a private Jordanian university for two years, alternately upon a decision by the minister, in addition to a representative of the Private Hospitals Association, provided that he is a medical doctor. (Petra)