Wednesday, 21 February, 2018
The Higher Population Council (HPC) organized an orientation meeting to give an overview of sexual and reproductive health research projects implemented through a 1.34 million euro funding support from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).
Sponsored by the Minister of Health, Dr. Mahmoud Al Shayyab, the meeting aimed to enable discussion and the sharing of academic expertise in the applied methodologies and theories to the NOW-funded sexual and reproductive health studies implemented through an international consortium in partnership with Jordanian researchers.
The two-day meeting attended by local, Arab and international researchers and experts, also aimed to identify risks and define mechanisms to adopt and utilize research findings into policy and practice to set the way forward and formulate adequate strategies to maximize benefits from the studies and better serve national goals.
Dr. Al Shayyab said that Jordan has made significant achievements over the past years in healthcare, and the ministry aims to enhance prevention and treatment services quality and focus on primary healthcare.
Shayyab noted that the ministry is developing reproductive health strategies and policies including the family planning strategy and is standardizing reproductive health policies such as policies on postnatal health, abortion, internal referrals to family planning services, breastfeeding and the bylaw on the marketing of breastmilk substitutes.
On the other hand, HPC Secretary General, Engineer Maisoon Al Zoubi, noted that the meeting facilitates cooperation and networking between SRH research projects, the Global Center for SRH Health Studies, and NWO to encourage greater exchange and collaboration among parties to achieve the desired goals of studies.
Al Zoubi further noted that HPC is strongly committed to building and enhancing SRH research capacities in Jordan to help identify local community needs, and highlighted the agreement between HPC and NWO for establishing a platform for supporting SRH research, conducting qualitative studies with national stakeholders, and disseminate knowledge through the internet.
Jerry Tutert from NWO emphasized the importance of collaboration and partnership with stakeholders to conduct scientific research in sexual and reproductive health, enhance and disseminate knowledge at various levels in this field.
During the meeting the NWO representative explained goals and activities and how the desired objectives are achieved.
The meeting will include a discussion session with local stakeholders in sexual and reproductive health through which brief presentations will be given on the expected findings of the studies and means to maximize networking with donor agencies and the identification of SRH research and policy priorities will be discussed.
