Jordan signs the UHC2030 Global Compact

On 23 July 2018 H.E Dr Mahmoud Alsheyyab, Minister of Health met with Dr Noako Yamamto, Assistant Director General for Health Systems and Universal health Coverage in Jordan and signed the UHC2030 Global Compact for progress towards UHC.

They discussed the challenges that Jordan faces in strengthening its health system. Dr Alsheyyab explained about the need to revitalize the primary health care system a focus on a Family Practice approach, as well as reducing the fragmentation in pooling arrangements across difffrent schemes and reforming the existing purchasing system.Meanwhile,Dr Yamamoto emphasized that UHC addresses the health needs of vulnerable populations, refugees and migrants “leaving no one behind”. 

At the meeting at the Ministry of Health, Dr Asheyyab and Dr Yamamoto signed the Global Compact UHC2030, which requires commitment to the key principles of:

• Leaving no one behind: a commitment to equity, non-discrimination and a rights-based approach• Transparency and accountability for results• Evidence-based national health strategies and leadership, with government stewardship to ensure availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of service delivery• Making health systems everybody’s business – with engagement of citizens, communities, civil society and private sector• International cooperation based on mutual learning across countries, regardless of development status and progress in achieving and sustaining UHC and development effectiveness principles.

While in Jordan, Dr Yamamoto also visited a comprehensive primary health care facility and the public hospital in Ramtha Governorate in the Northern region of Jordan. The facilities are located 5 km away from the border with the South Syria and provide services to both Jordanians and Syrians refugees. “Many thanks to the Director of Ramtha hospital and his team for their huge efforts to support wounded Syrian refugees since the onset of the emergency” Dr Yamamoto said. 

The visit concluded with a high-level partners’ meeting organized by the WHO country where Dr Yamamoto interacted with the health partners and discussed with them the challenges that Jordan faces to achieve UHC and the best ways to tackle them. "I was really impressed by the high-level commitment of the government of Jordan and partners towards achieving UHC and complying with the 2030 agenda.” Dr Yamamoto said.