A group of experts representing the health and justice sectors and civil society launched a roadmap to strengthening and activating the Medical and Health Liability Law No. 25 of 2018, during a meeting held by the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) on Monday, May 27, 2024, within the framework of dialogues to strengthen the health sector in Jordan through activating accountability.

The meeting included a review of the challenges facing the enforcement of this law, as well as the proposed recommendations and measures to strengthen the law and increase its effectiveness, and was moderated by the CEO of ARDD, Samar Muhareb, who pointed out that we live under special circumstances at all levels, and this special effort by a group of specialized experts comes from the belief in the dignity of the Jordanian judiciary and the medical sector, stressing the importance of ensuring the effective participation of patients, doctors, civil society, and all sectors in the application and enforcement of the law in a transparent and fair manner.

In a comment by Dr. Ziad Al-Zoubi, Head of the Jordan Medical Association, he praised this roadmap, as it resulted in clarifying the law and determining the scope of application of medical liability, which represents the extent of commitment by the service provider and the place providing the service to the relevant professional rules, while noting the need to integrate the private sector and civil society in policy-making and the adoption of laws.

On the importance of the Medical and Health Liability Law, Dr. Ziad said, “We aim to develop the treatment process, and it is necessary to avoid mistakes and raise the level of medical service through real partnership with everyone, consolidating the reputation of the medical sector, providing Jordan with a new approach to avoid medical malpractices, engaging all parties, in addition to promoting justice and accountability.”

Regarding the map, and to review the most important parts of it, healthcare and medical liability expert Dr. Mu’men Al-Hadidi stressed the importance of the serious effort put forth by the experts on the preparation of the roadmap for the application and full implementation of the Medical Liability Law, indicating that the main goal of the law is patient safety, protecting doctors, and raising the level and quality of medical services.

As for the indicators related to the extent of trust of service recipients and partners, according to Al-Hadidi, they are represented in “gaining the confidence of the judiciary, the Medical Association, health service providers, and medical syndicates,” explaining that the law enhances medical accountability, raises the quality of service, and provides a unified legal framework to address medical errors efficiently.

The participants recommended moving forward and exploring more studies and analyses that would help to apply and understand the law, arrange meetings with media professionals and influencers to highlight the challenges and opportunities that accompany the application of this law, in addition to the need to activate the insurance fund against medical and healthcare errors, continuing to raise and enhance the capabilities and knowledge of medical service providers, the professional development of workers in the health and justice sectors, as well as raising legal and societal awareness among people on the subject of medical errors.

The roadmap was drafted and developed by a group of experts, who volunteered their expertise and knowledge in the frame of ARDD’s Policy Lab initiative.

To view the roadmap press here