AMMAN — Health professional syndicates emphasized the need to toughen legal measures against those impersonating medical professionals, warning of the growth of this phenomenon and the threat it poses to public health, the reputation of the health sector, and medical tourism.
اضافة اعلان
Representatives from the Dental Association, the Medical Association, and the Nurses Syndicate stressed the importance of closing legislative loopholes and enhancing coordination among regulatory and executive authorities to prosecute violators.
Penalties do not deter impersonators
Commenting on the issue, the President of the Dental Association, Dr. Aya Al-Asmar, said that the syndicate works in coordination with the Public Prosecutor, the Attorney General, the Cybercrime Unit, and the Ministry of Health, given that the syndicate's role is legislative and supervisory, while these entities carry out legal procedures against health profession impersonators.
Dr. Al-Asmar added that the file of impersonating a doctor or dentist is one of the most dangerous, as dozens practice the profession without legal authorization, threatening community security and safety.
She explained that the main flaw lies in certain provisions of the Public Health Law, as current penalties allow replacing imprisonment with limited financial fines in some cases, weakening the deterrent effect.
"Sometimes an impersonator is supposed to serve years in prison, but instead pays about 200 JOD, gets bailed out, and is released. This is one of the main vulnerabilities that negatively affects addressing this issue," she said, confirming that the syndicate continuously demands stiffer penalties for anyone who disregards people's lives or practices health professions without a legal license.
Protecting the reputation of medicine
For his part, the Secretary of the Jordan Medical Association (JMA), Dr. Muzaffar Al-Jalamdeh, stated that the reputation of Jordanian medicine is not merely a headline, but a national legacy built over decades of solid medical practice and advanced science, making Jordan a primary destination for medical tourism in the region, a fundamental pillar of the national economy, and a source of international confidence.
Dr. Al-Jalamdeh explained that protecting health security and maintaining the reputation of the medical sector and medical tourism is a national and moral duty that takes precedence over any other consideration.
He stressed that the syndicate, in partnership with government institutions—led by the Ministry of Health and regulatory and legal bodies—will not allow any illegal practices, pretenders to the profession, or lawbreakers to tamper with the lives of citizens and visitors, or compromise Jordan's medical achievements attained through the efforts of doctors and regulating legislation.
Dr. Al-Jalamdeh noted that the JMA includes specialized committees, such as complaints, professional control, and fees committees, operating under the provisions of Public Health Law No. (47) of 2008 and its amendments, as well as the Penal Code, which classifies impersonation and practicing medical professions without a license as grave crimes that threaten public trust and cause significant damage to individuals and society.
He pointed out that the JMA Law No. (13) of 1972 and its amendments strictly prohibit practicing the profession or holding the title of "doctor" without official registration in the syndicate's registries and obtaining a practice license from the Ministry of Health.
He added that Articles (5) and (62/B) of the Public Health Law stipulate penalties including imprisonment for a period of not less than 3 months and not exceeding two years, a fine ranging between 2,000 and 5,000 JOD, or both penalties combined, alongside the immediate closure of violating facilities, confiscation of seized items, and referral of violators to the judiciary on charges of fraud and forgery.
Dr. Al-Jalamdeh highlighted that the most dangerous form of violation is the practice of medicine by unqualified individuals, as it poses a direct threat to patient safety and the reputation of medical tourism.
He stated that the syndicate handles complaints through its specialized committees. When medical impersonation is proven, it directly contacts the Ministry of Health to take legal and judicial measures against violators and close their workplaces within legal powers, praising the ongoing level of cooperation with the ministry in this regard.
He also called on citizens not to be led by misleading advertisements, fake offers, and untrustworthy promotions across social media platforms, so as not to fall victim to fraud and impersonation.
Dr. Al-Jalamdeh emphasized that the syndicate's doors and official channels will remain open to receive complaints and cooperate with all parties to protect health security.
Exploitation of unqualified individuals
In turn, member of the Nurses Syndicate Council, Zuhair Muslim, stated that the syndicate has observed a growing problem involving individuals who obtain short training courses after secondary school, particularly those who do not meet the admission requirements for nursing colleges. Some cultural centers and institutions organize courses lasting 6 months under titles like "community education," and subsequently grant participants certificates with titles such as "Associate Nurse."
Muslim stressed that this title corresponds in the job description approved by the Ministry of Health to "Associate Nurse," which is granted only to graduates of colleges accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education, whereas trainees in these courses receive the same title without fulfilling academic or legal requirements.
He noted that this group is later exploited to work in the home nursing sector, benefiting from obtaining work permits from the Ministry of Labor under the title "Patient Companion" rather than from the Ministry of Health.
He said the problem lies in these individuals presenting themselves to families and patients as nurses after receiving limited training on basic skills, while officially registered with government bodies as patient companions, creating a gap between the Ministries of Labor and Health that requires urgent addressing.
Muslim affirmed that the syndicate considers this situation a major flaw, noting that it reports any certificates granting the title "Associate Nurse" to the Ministry of Health, as the law does not permit holders of this title to provide any nursing service before obtaining a practice license from the Ministry of Health.
He added that obtaining a license requires passing the Ministry of Health exam and holding the required academic qualifications—chiefly a diploma issued by a Higher Education-accredited college, a Tawjihi certificate, a clean criminal record, and other official documents—conditions that holders of these short courses do not meet.
He added that work permits issued by the Ministry of Labor do not require academic qualifications as they fall under "Patient Companion," calling for changing this title to "Worker" or "Attendant," or abolishing the "Patient Companion" title entirely to prevent any impression of medical status, allowing the Ministry of Health, the syndicate, and relevant authorities to monitor violations more effectively.
Muslim stressed that the syndicate considers granting titles such as "Registered Nurse" or "Associate Nurse" outside Higher Education institutions as forgery of professional titles and certificates, because these titles represent academic and professional degrees that can only be awarded through accredited academic institutions and competent official bodies.
