The Minister of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Bdour, received on Saturday the Unified National Cancer Treatment Protocol. The document contains unified national guidelines for treating cancer patients across participating healthcare sectors and was drafted by a national committee tasked with its preparation through a collaborative national approach aimed at standardizing therapeutic practices and enhancing the quality of oncology care.
اضافة اعلان
The protocol was developed by the national committee and its specialized subcommittees, with the participation of an elite group of physicians, clinical pharmacists, and nursing staff from several health institutions. These included the Ministry of Health, the Royal Medical Services, the King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC), the Jordan University Hospital (JUH), the King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH), and the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA).
The Minister officially approved the protocol during his meeting with the national committee following its completion, expressing his thanks and appreciation to its members, the subcommittees, and all partners from the participating health institutions for their efforts in preparing these guidelines based on scientific and collaborative foundations.
Equality in Patient Care and Treatment
The Minister explained that the protocol ensures equity in providing the same treatments across all healthcare sectors without discrimination. Consequently, treatment recommendations will be standardized wherever they are implemented. What is approved in one health sector will serve as the exact reference in others and anywhere within the health system, thereby guaranteeing a unified therapeutic decision and promoting treatment equity among patients.
Al-Bdour emphasized that this achievement marks a significant step toward enhancing integration among healthcare sectors and unifying treatment protocols, which will reflect positively on raising the efficiency of health services. He noted that the development of the protocol—which includes 26 therapeutic guidelines covering multiple pathways in oncology—establishes a unified national reference that contributes to improving the quality of healthcare, raising the efficiency of services provided to patients, and optimizing the use of available treatments to achieve equitable access to care.
He pointed out that this national protocol aligns with country-wide efforts aimed at consolidating the concept of evidence-based medicine and supporting clinical decision-making in various health institutions, placing the patient's best interest at the top of all priorities.
In this context, Al-Bdour indicated that forming this committee falls within a new approach adopted by the Ministry of Health to launch medical protocols across various specialties, thereby enhancing the quality of healthcare and raising therapeutic response efficiency. This initiative builds on a series of protocols the Ministry has already effectively implemented, including the protocol for managing acute myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) and the stroke protocol, both of which have helped enhance patient protection measures, improve survival chances, and reduce complications.
He also mentioned that the protocol will be distributed and adopted during a national ceremony featuring all participating health sectors, with the attendance of around 130 participants, including members, committees, and partners, emphasizing the collaborative approach through which this national work was compiled.
Structural Framework and Technical Preparation
The national committee commenced its work following a decision issued by the Minister of Health, holding a series of in-person and virtual meetings. Ten specialized subcommittees were formed to draft and review the guidelines within a clear work plan and timeframe, under the direct supervision of the head of the national committee and with technical and administrative coordination from the Directorate of Pharmacy and Clinical Pharmacy at the Ministry of Health.
The protocol was prepared using a multidisciplinary, scientific, and collaborative approach, taking into account the varying capabilities and resources among different health institutions. This allows for flexible application within the institutional policies and protocols of each entity. The guidelines represent a national reference subject to periodic review and updates to keep pace with scientific updates and modern therapeutic developments.
National Committee Composition
The national committee was chaired by Dr. Munther Al-Hawarat, Director of the Samih Darwazah Oncology Center at Al-Bashir Hospitals / Assistant Director-General of the King Hussein Cancer Center.
The committee’s membership included:
Dr. Jihad Al-Maani (Ministry of Health)
Dr. Hisham Bawa'neh (Ministry of Health)
Brigadier General Medical Dr. Ahmad Bawa'neh (Royal Medical Services)
Dr. Kamal Rabie (King Hussein Cancer Center)
Dr. Firas Fararjeh (Jordan University Hospital)
Dr. Osama Al-Shara' (King Abdullah University Hospital)
Dr. Ghadeer Al-Qawasmi (Jordan Food and Drug Administration)
Dr. Anisa Al-Noaimat (Committee Rapporteur, Ministry of Health)
