Hawari meets with president of Iraq's Kurdistan Region 

AMMAN — Minister of Health Firas Al Hawari on Monday held discussions with President of Iraq's Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani, focusing on enhancing cooperation in the healthcare sector and leveraging Jordan's experience in this field.

Hawari, during the meeting held in Erbil, expressed Jordan's “unwavering readiness” to extend comprehensive support and coordination in various healthcare domains to the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Ministry of Health in the region, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

Barzani emphasised the potential benefits that both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq could derive from Jordan's experience in medicine and education.

In a separate meeting, Hawari and Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq Masrour Barzani discussed the Jordanian-Kurdistan Health Week in Erbil, shedding light on its prominent themes and research. 

The prime minister expressed gratitude to the Kingdom for its continuous support and unwavering assistance to the Kurdistan Region, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasised the importance of strengthening health cooperation with Jordan.

Also on Monday, Hawari emphasised Jordan's commitment to strengthening its relations with Iraq and the Kurdistan region of Iraq, notably to expand cooperation and coordination to take full advantage of Jordan's hospitals, healthcare centres, and the high-quality healthcare services in the Kingdom.

Speaking  during the opening ceremony of the Jordanian -Kurdistan medical forum and week, held in Erbil, Hawari highlighted the significance of this forum and joint medical week, demonstrating the mutual commitment of both parties to strengthen cooperation and seize potential opportunities.

He emphasised Jordan's determination, under the direct guidance of His Majesty King Abdullah, to bolster health-related collaboration with Iraq and the Kurdistan region.

Jordan has appointed a health attaché in Erbil to facilitate coordination with the ministry of health in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, notably to ease the process for those seeking medical treatment in Jordan, Hawari said, adding that the Ministry of Interior has provided necessary assistance in expediting visa issuance for patients and their companions.

He also mentioned that the Jordanian Medical Council recently approved several training programmes in hospitals located in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok, covering six medical specialties, and noted that efforts are underway to approve an additional 16 specialties.

A dedicated directorate for medical tourism within the ministry of health was established to oversee the needs of incoming patients, starting from their arrival in Jordan and continuing throughout their stay, often extending to post-treatment support, he said.

He also highlighted the vital role of the   patient reception office at the airport in welcoming patients and ensuring smooth entry procedures, as well as coordinating with hospitals to receive them.