Prepared by: Dr. Musa Ajlouni January, 2010 - World Health ...

The health sector in Jordan, public and private, may witness a severe shortage ofphysicians and nurses in the near future due to the increasing rate of brain drainmainly to Gulf countries. Low salaries, lack of incentives and regulations, and longworking hours are the main causes for this drainage. 213.2.6 Distribution of health occupation/cadre according to work placeOf the almost 26,000 total MOH staff, 9% (2,340) are working in the central Ministry ofHealth. In comparison with some other countries for which data are available, 9% is very21high.There are imbalances in the distribution of health cadres between hospitals and primaryhealthcare facilities. About 50% of total MOH staff works in hospitals. From the totaldoctors of all types working for the MOH, 56% are working in hospitals, 37% in healthcenters and 7% in management positions at the central MOH and health directorates.90% of the MOH registered nurses work in hospitals, while only 6% work at PHC.About80% of RMS cadres work in hospitals, while 23 %( 10805) of the cadres working in theprivate health sector are in hospitals. 1Table 3.9: Public/Private for profit/Faith based organization distribution of health workers(See definition of each occupational category in annexes 1, 2).Health Occupational categories% % Private % FaithTotal Public sector basedNumber sector*organizationPhysicians (generalists) 8746 40% 50% 10%Physicians (specialists) 5830 54% 40% 6%Professional/Registered Nurses 9512 47% 46% 7%Enrolled Nurses (Associate Nurses) 4627 85% 11% 4%Assistant Nurses 3338 86% 9% 5%Auxiliary nursing staff (Non nursingworkforce working in nursing) 2709 % 89 6% 5%Registered Midwives, EnrolledMidwives 1909 67% % 25 % 8Dentists 5094 18% 87% 5%Dental technician, assistant 3426 40% 54% 6%Pharmacists 7715 8% 85% 7%Pharmacy technician, assistant 6540 48% 45% 7%Lab scientist 2400 62% 32% 6%Laboratory technician 2670 70% 23% 7%Jordan HRH Profile,Musa Ajlouni (Jan 2010) 39