Khaberni - A joint committee consisting of the Health, Environment and Population Committee, and the Tourism and Heritage Committee of the House of Notables, held a meeting on Sunday to discuss the reality of medical tourism in the Kingdom and ways to develop and enhance its competitiveness.
The meeting was attended by Ramzi Maaytah, Director General of the Tourism Promotion Authority, Dr. Zaid Kilani, Syndicate of Pharmacists, and Fawzi Hammouri, President of the Private Hospitals Association, along with Dr. Haitham Al-Duwairi, Director of Medical Tourism at the Ministry of Health.
The chair of the Health, Environment, and Population Committee, Yasin Al-Hasban, who chaired the joint committee, welcomed the government's decision to reactivate the Higher Medical Council, affirming that its reactivation contributes to organizing the sector and enhancing its development.
He pointed to the importance of having a comprehensive legislative framework for medical tourism that unifies the various legislations between the Ministries of Health and Tourism and other entities and the private sector, to provide clear governance, and to build quality standards and accreditation consistent with international standards.
For his part, the head of the Tourism and Heritage Committee in the council, Michel Nezal, stated that the success of medical tourism depends on providing comprehensive packages starting from the moment the tourist arrives at the airport, passing through their experience at the hotel and hospital, and ending with their departure from the Kingdom, thus turning the medical journey into a unique and complete experience.
He explained that achieving this requires the solidarity and coordination of efforts between different public and private sectors, especially the medical and tourism sectors, noting Jordan's unique natural therapeutic features that distinguish it from many other countries.
In turn, Maaytah confirmed that Jordan is rich in therapeutic tourism components, due to its unique natural therapeutic sites and advanced medical expertise, pointing out that the authority is working on promoting these components and linking them with modern medical services, enhancing the Kingdom's position as a competitive therapeutic and recovery destination, and making it a hub for hosting specialized medical conferences and events at the regional and international levels.
On his part, Kilani emphasized the importance of all parties involved in the medical tourism sector cooperating, considering it one of the most important pillars of the national economy.
For his part, Hammouri highlighted the pivotal role of the Ministry of the Interior in facilitating entry procedures for foreign patients into the Kingdom, the importance of categorizing hospitals, and the necessity of creating an official specialized platform to activate and organize medical tourism in Jordan.
For his part, Duwairi said that medical tourism has been consolidated on the "Integration" platform, pointing out the roadmap being worked on by the Medical Tourism and Recovery Trustees Council, which focuses on governance, marketing, and promotion axes.
In turn, the notables highlighted the importance of building a complete and unique therapeutic experience that enhances the therapeutic tourist’s confidence and consolidates Jordan's position as a leading destination in this field.
