The World Bank has begun evaluating a new Jordanian program aimed at strengthening the public healthcare system and improving its efficiency and quality. The initiative seeks to enhance government health spending and expand early medical screening services, especially for chronic diseases, through a program titled “Healthcare Sector Reform Program in Jordan.”
اضافة اعلان
According to information monitored by Al-Mamlaka, the World Bank has not yet determined the amount of funding it will provide for the program. A decision is expected after a full evaluation in August, with a formal proposal to be submitted to the Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on October 30.
The program design is based on two main pillars:
Improving the efficiency of public health expenditure
Enhancing the quality of screening services within primary healthcare
The World Bank has proposed several indicators to measure the program’s success, including reducing financial arrears in the health sector, increasing the effectiveness of targeted health subsidies, raising diabetes type 2 screening rates (disaggregated by gender and nationality), and increasing the percentage of women undergoing breast cancer screening.
The Bank sees this program as an opportunity to improve hazardous medical waste management and to strengthen the Ministry of Health’s capacity in environmental and social risk management. It also aims to expand early disease detection, increase insurance coverage, and provide sustainable preventive services—particularly benefiting vulnerable populations.
The Ministry of Health will be the implementing agency for the program, which forms a key component of Jordan’s Economic Modernization Vision and the Ministry’s strategic plans. Its goal is to help the government optimize public health spending while improving the quality of primary healthcare services, especially in early screening for type 2 diabetes and breast cancer, and improving the targeting of healthcare support for eligible populations.
This initiative comes amid a complex local and regional context. For more than a decade, Jordan has faced mounting economic pressure due to population growth and successive refugee crises—particularly the influx of over 1.3 million Syrians, including 650,000 registered refugees who receive subsidized healthcare through government and UN support. This has placed enormous strain on public hospitals and primary care centers, especially in emergency and frontline services.
At the same time, Jordan is undergoing significant demographic shifts. The average life expectancy is expected to rise from 65.6 years in 2021 to 75.2 years by 2040, increasing the burden of chronic diseases and long-term care costs. The proportion of citizens aged 65 and older is projected to more than double from 4.1% to 9.2% over the same period, as the working-age population peaks around 2032—further increasing the dependency ratio and pressure on the healthcare system.
Additional challenges stem from environmental and climate-related health impacts. The report notes that 75% of Jordan’s disease burden is caused by non-communicable diseases, which could worsen due to climate change. Projections indicate that Amman will experience an average of 41 extreme heat days annually, with about 10 major heatwaves expected by 2050. Air pollution is also contributing to rising cases of respiratory illnesses such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
— Al-Mamlaka
