Jordan’s Public Health and Surveillance Health Policies: During and After COVID-19 (Preprint)

Abstract

UNSTRUCTURED In contemporary times, the wave of the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) classified by the World Health Organisation as global pandemic has unravelled systems and processes including health, economic and social. In the case of the Kingdom of Jordan, the COVID-19 crisis illustrated for the need and ability of the policy making institutions and ministries to take many effective policies, initiatives and procedures that were met with marked approval as the opinion polls conducted by government and private institutions showed. The success of these interventions during the crisis calls upon the country’s health system to take advantage of this experience in the next stage of recovery and resilience to develop, maintain its sustainability, as well as the improvement of a number of hubs to assist the Kingdom in facing the challenges resulting from any future health crisis such as epidemics or natural disasters. The viewpoint interventions that are the most paramount given the current situation as public health evidence must inform activities in seven priority health system areas to manage during and after the pandemic includes factors on: (1) governance and management; (2) service delivery and research; (3) human resources; (4) health information systems; (5) technology and medicine; (6) health financing; and (7) citizens, refugees and communities.

Public Health Strategies for the Gradual Lifting of the Public Sector Lockdown in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates During the COVID-19 Crisis

“…To control this imminent threat, Jordan has enforced infection prevention and control measures and activated the National Epidemiology Committee. As of March 17, 2020, the government called for social distancing, halted all forms of inbound and outbound movement/ international travel, and enacted the Defence Law, which transferred the authority to the Minister of Defence to work and formulate orders in response to the situation [ 3 , 4 ]. The National Crises Management Center in coordination with government bodies took over the enforcement, follow-up, and implementation of the Defence Law orders.…”

“…The National Crises Management Center in coordination with government bodies took over the enforcement, follow-up, and implementation of the Defence Law orders. Consequently, a national curfew was ordered to ensure complete country isolation [ 3 , 4 ]. It also ordered a lockdown on all border arrivals to the country before March 17 from pandemic countries, and administrative governorates were isolated from each other.…”

“…It also ordered a lockdown on all border arrivals to the country before March 17 from pandemic countries, and administrative governorates were isolated from each other. Awareness messages were targeted at children and adults older than 60 years [ 3 , 4 ]; they were placed under strict stay-at-home measures and their caretakers were not permitted to accompany them outside the home for any reason except in an emergency. Confirmed and suspected COVID-19 cases from airport arrivals by March 17 were isolated in hospitals under the strict supervision of qualified medical staff [ 3 , 4 ].…”

“…Moreover, the government immediately took measures to ensure the preparedness of the health sector. Instantly, equipment and supplies necessary for diagnosis were ordered and put at the disposal of the National Crises Management Center [ 3 , 4 ]. Vigorous efforts were exerted to detect and track cases and contacts by outbreak surveillance teams at the national and governorate levels in order to contain the spread of the virus and to isolate cases.…”

“…Vigorous efforts were exerted to detect and track cases and contacts by outbreak surveillance teams at the national and governorate levels in order to contain the spread of the virus and to isolate cases. The ultimate goal of Jordan was to flatten the disease spread curve in order to increase the capacity of the health system to absorb new cases [ 3 , 4 ].…”