09/04/2025

The National Steering Committee for Health Data Governance, chaired by the Jordan Center for Disease Control (JCDC), held its second meeting on Wednesday, April 4, with the participation of representatives from several national and international entities concerned with the health, data, and digital transformation sectors.

According to a statement issued by the JCDC on Thursday, the Head of the Center, Dr. Adel Al-Belbisi, stressed the importance of this joint national effort, which reflects the commitment of all parties to building an integrated health system based on scientific and regulatory foundations. Such a system, he noted, would enhance preparedness and response capabilities and improve the quality of health services in Jordan. He also commended the efforts of the committee members in supporting the advancement of data governance and the modernization of health data.

From her side, Eng. Fatima Hammadeh, Director of Technology and Information Systems at the Center, presented the steps taken to form the committee, along with its main objectives and forward-looking vision. These steps are considered foundational toward building a unified, high-quality, future-ready national system, involving all sectors, institutions, and partners across Jordan.

She explained that the committee’s goals include: establishing a national framework for health data governance; standardizing health data criteria; ensuring data quality and reliability; enhancing interoperability and integration across systems; and developing a scalable, intelligent framework for data analysis using the latest technologies.

Hammadeh emphasized that this initiative represents a comprehensive national approach, and that this integrated collaboration reflects a shared commitment to building a more connected, responsive, and intelligent health system that holistically and sustainably serves public health in Jordan.

The Center also presented the draft Terms of Reference (ToR) for the committee, along with feedback received from various national and international stakeholders. The comments were discussed interactively during the meeting, necessary revisions were made, and the updated version was adopted unanimously. This marks a significant step toward unifying the vision and organizing the committee’s work under a shared framework.

Committee members also discussed the mechanism for forming subcommittees, defining roles, responsibilities, and suitable working methods, and setting priorities for the next phase. Agreement was reached on the entities that will lead the subcommittees.

The meeting concluded with an open discussion session that addressed additional topics raised by the participants. The Steering Committee will continue its efforts to institutionalize national principles of health data governance—enhancing the quality, integration, and security of data—and contributing to evidence-based decision-making for a more efficient and innovative health system in Jordan.

During the meeting, Eng. Mahmoud Saleh, Director of E-Transformation at the Ministry of Health, was appointed as Deputy Chair of the Committee, and the official name of the committee—National Steering Committee for Health Data Governance—was formally adopted.

Source: Petra News