Jordanian hospitals have performed approximately 1,350 urgent and emergency cardiac catheterization procedures to save lives during evening and overnight hours, while saving more than JD 1 million in treatment costs over the first nine months of a new medical protocol, Health Minister Ibrahim Al-Badour announced.
Al-Badour said the procedures were carried out at Ministry of Health hospitals between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., from February 1 to November 1, 2026, as part of an approved protocol for treating acute heart attacks through cardiac catheterization, launched in early February.
He explained that, under the protocol, the ministry adopted a treatment approach involving immediate emergency catheterization for patients who require it, including during evening and overnight hours when the service had not previously been available. This replaces the former practice of administering blood-thinning medication and performing catheterization one or two days later.
The change was made by strengthening hospital readiness and providing on-duty technical teams capable of performing catheterization around the clock.
Al-Badour noted that the new approach has accelerated medical intervention, increased patients’ chances of survival, helped preserve heart muscle and reduced complications resulting from heart attacks. These include heart muscle weakness and failure, as well as cardiac rhythm disorders, improving patients’ prospects for recovery and a return to normal life.
He said the procedures were performed at Al-Bashir, Prince Hamzah, Zarqa, New Al-Hussein Salt, Karak, Tafilah and Princess Basma hospitals.
The minister added that, since the protocol was launched, the ministry has worked to strengthen the technical staffing of hospitals equipped to perform cardiac interventions, ensuring they can handle emergency heart attack cases around the clock, seven days a week. Other ministry hospitals have also been connected to these facilities through a specific system that allows patients to be transferred directly for the necessary treatment as quickly as possible.
Al-Badour highlighted the protocol’s significant economic impact, explaining that it has reduced the need for blood-thinning medications, particularly Tenecteplase, widely known as the “life-saving injection.” A single dose costs approximately JD 780.
This has generated savings exceeding JD 1 million during the first nine months of the protocol’s implementation, in addition to reducing long-term treatment expenses associated with heart attack complications and heart muscle failure.
He praised the efforts of medical, nursing, technical and administrative teams at the participating hospitals, stressing that the results achieved reflect their dedication and commitment to delivering medical services in accordance with approved protocols.
Al-Badour affirmed that the protocol for treating acute heart attacks through cardiac catheterization is one of the Ministry of Health’s development initiatives, implemented as part of a government approach focused on improving the quality of medical services and modernising their delivery.
He said the initiative is in line with the directives and follow-up of Prime Minister Jafar Hassan, adding that the ministry continues to update treatment protocols and adopt the latest internationally approved medical practices to improve responses to critical cases, increase survival rates, reduce complications and enhance healthcare outcomes.
