Amman – Wednesday, 23 September 2026

The Phenix Center for Economic and Informatics Studies organized a broad national dialogue on priorities for advancing the right to health in Jordan, with the participation of representatives of civil society organizations, local associations, organizations of persons with disabilities, women’s organizations, and community-based initiatives. The dialogue aimed to discuss the key challenges facing the realization of the right to health and to promote equitable access to medicines and healthcare services.

The dialogue was organized as part of the Center’s efforts to strengthen community participation in discussions on health policies and to draw on the expertise and experiences of civil society organizations and local initiatives. This approach contributes to identifying gaps and challenges that may not be adequately reflected in official indicators, while conveying citizens’ needs and experiences to relevant authorities and policymakers.

The dialogue focused on exploring the possibility of establishing a national network of civil society organizations working on the right to health. Such a network would provide a platform for pooling efforts and expertise, coordinating work on equitable access to healthcare services and medicines, and transforming fragmented demands and challenges into a shared agenda that can serve as a basis for dialogue, advocacy, and follow-up on health policies.

Ahmad Awad, Director of the Phenix Center, said that ensuring patients’ access to medicines of appropriate quality and in sufficient quantities and at the right time is a fundamental component of the right to health and continuity of treatment. He noted that Jordan has a relatively advanced pharmaceutical system, but that the challenge is not limited to the availability of medicines within the healthcare system; rather, it also concerns whether medicines actually reach patients in the right place and at the right time.

He added that advancing the right to health requires the development of integrated management of the health and pharmaceutical system centered on patients’ needs. This includes improving supply and distribution mechanisms, strengthening citizens’ ability to access information and services, and developing effective complaint and accountability mechanisms.

For her part, Aysha Barhoumeh, Projects Coordinator and Researcher at the Phenix Center, said that the challenges facing the right to health in Jordan are not limited to the provision of healthcare services, but also extend to their accessibility, quality, and continuity. She pointed to disparities in access to certain healthcare services and medicines among different groups and regions across the Kingdom.

She added that the national dialogue was organized based on the Center’s belief that health is a fundamental human right, rather than merely an issue related to the provision of healthcare services. She explained that the Center’s research and fieldwork over recent years have identified a number of challenges affecting the ability of some people, particularly vulnerable groups, to access and benefit from healthcare services fairly.

Barhoumeh explained that the dialogue provides a space bringing together civil society organizations, experts, academics, and relevant stakeholders with the aim of moving from diagnosing challenges to discussing possible solutions and strengthening coordination around policies and practices that can contribute to advancing the right to health and ensuring equitable access to healthcare services.

She noted that the identified challenges are not limited to whether a healthcare service exists, but also include how easily it can be accessed, its quality and continuity, disparities between different regions and groups, as well as challenges related to citizens’ awareness of their health rights and the mechanisms for accessing services.

She highlighted access to medicines as a key aspect of this issue, both in terms of the availability of medicines and patients’ ability to obtain them, in addition to the need to strengthen complaint and feedback mechanisms within the healthcare system.

Barhoumeh stressed the importance of more effectively involving civil society organizations in discussions on health policies and services, given their field experience, ability to reach local communities, identify their needs, and convey those needs to policymakers.

She said that the challenges are not limited to gaps in services, but also include gaps in participation, coordination, and access to information. Addressing these gaps requires strengthening communication channels between civil society organizations, government institutions, and local communities.

During the dialogue, participants discussed the possibility of establishing a national network of civil society organizations working on the right to health, based on the importance of collective action in increasing the impact of civil society organizations’ efforts and coordinating their interventions.

Participants emphasized that civil society organizations possess diverse expertise and experiences, as well as the ability to reach different groups and communities. Bringing these experiences together within a participatory framework could contribute to developing a more comprehensive understanding of the state of the right to health and access to medicines and healthcare services in Jordan.

The proposed network is expected to contribute to the exchange of information and expertise, coordination of efforts, identification of priority issues, and the development of more integrated research and studies. It would also support the development of joint positions and recommendations and facilitate their more organized communication to relevant authorities and policymakers.

Participants stressed that the proposed network is not intended to replace existing institutions or eliminate their roles, but rather to provide a space for cooperation and complementarity while preserving the independence, expertise, and roles of participating organizations.

Equitable access to medicines and healthcare services was a key focus of the discussions. Participants emphasized that the availability of medicines in warehouses and central storage facilities, by itself, is not a sufficient indicator of effective access to treatment.

Participants discussed challenges related to distribution chains and the replenishment of medicines and supplies among healthcare facilities, disparities in access to healthcare services across governorates and regions, the financial burdens borne by patients, and the effectiveness of complaint and feedback mechanisms available to citizens.

The discussions also addressed the needs of groups facing greater difficulties in accessing healthcare, including women, persons with disabilities, older persons, and refugees. Participants emphasized the importance of providing patients with clear and transparent information about available services and treatments and about their rights within the healthcare system.

The dialogue was divided into four main working groups. The first addressed priorities for reforming the healthcare system, including gaps related to equitable access, continuity of treatment, geographical disparities, and the needs of groups most vulnerable to marginalization.

The second group focused on how to transform local expertise and experiences into a national agenda by drawing on the experiences of associations and organizations working directly with citizens and local communities, and translating these experiences into joint policy papers and reform demands.

The third group discussed the potential roles of a national civil society network, including advocacy, community monitoring, information sharing, and establishing regular channels of dialogue with government authorities, Parliament, healthcare sector unions, universities, and the media.

The fourth group focused on the identity of the proposed network and its working mechanisms, including its mission, principles, areas of intervention, and decision-making mechanisms, while emphasizing the independence of participating organizations and ensuring that the network does not become a formal institutional framework.

The Phenix Center emphasized that the national dialogue represents a first step in a civil society-led process seeking to move from diagnosing problems toward building a shared agenda for advocacy and action, based on identifying a set of priorities that can be addressed collectively during the next phase.

The priorities raised include ensuring continued access to essential medicines, improving mechanisms for replenishing medicines and supplies among healthcare facilities, strengthening complaint and feedback systems, improving access to health information, and reducing the financial burdens associated with obtaining treatment.

Participants also discussed the establishment of an interim coordination committee during the coming period to follow up on the outcomes of the dialogue, develop the proposed network’s terms of reference, expand participation to include additional organizations and initiatives working on the right to health, prepare an initial advocacy agenda, and identify priority issues.

The Phenix Center emphasized that advancing the right to health is a shared responsibility requiring complementary roles among government institutions, civil society, academic and professional bodies, and local communities. It stressed that the role of civil society extends beyond monitoring challenges to include proposing solutions, contributing to policy development, and strengthening social accountability.

The Center noted that the national dialogue and proposed civil society network seek to establish a sustained and organized process of joint action that goes beyond holding meetings to include producing knowledge, research, and policy papers; developing practical proposals; following up on their implementation; and strengthening regular dialogue on health and pharmaceutical issues in Jordan.