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Ammon News - A ministerial session was held on the sidelines of the 2022 International Healthcare Travel Forum (IHTF), which opened in Amman Saturday, to discuss prospects of expanding healthcare travel after recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Health Minister Firas Hawari told the session, which was moderated by Private Hospitals Association president Fawzi Hammouri and Arab Hospitals Federation secretary general Tawfik Khoja, that the Jordanian health sector, both public and private, has made remarkable achievements during, before and after the pandemic as it contributed to bolstering the Kingdom's tourism potentials.

Interior Minister Mazen Faraya said his ministry adopts one of the easiest and most flexible visa and travel procedures by countries, adding that anyone seeking medical care in Jordan can obtain a visa through electronic registration and security approval within 48 hours.

He said the Kingdom hosts a large number of refugees, and that some restrictions were in place to curb an increase in these numbers.

Tourism Minister Nayef Fayez said his ministry aspires to put Jordan as a global and regional medical tourism hub, stressing the importance of the partnership between the public and private sectors to promote the Kingdom's therapeutical sites, skilled medical cadres and specialized hospitals.

Assistant Arab League Secretary-General Haifa Abu-Ghazaleh said that the organization is keen on streamlining Arab efforts to increase investment in medical tourism in the Arab region, especially Jordan, as these countries' rich resources qualify them to become a global medical tourism destination.

She pointed to many regional countries with globally-recognized hospitals, calling for introducing one Arab medical tourism guide to highlight the advantages offered by these countries to attract medical tourism from across the world.

Health Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Saman Barzanji said Jordan has provided the health cadres in his region with training and rehabilitation, noting a Jordanian military field hospital, which provided service to the people of the northern Iraqi region.

He said the forum is an opportunity to discuss closer cooperation with Jordanian officials and benefit from the Kingdom's expertise and training of medical staff in the Kurdistan region.

Hikma Pharmaceuticals Executive Director Salah Mawajdeh told the meeting that the Jordanian pharmaceutical industry had accessed 70 countries around the world, and met most of the Kingdom's needs, including biological medicines, at a cost 20-50% less than imported medicines.