11 February 2026, Amman, Jordan – Jordan has successfully concluded its State Party Self-Assessment Annual Report (SPAR) for 2026, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to global health security.
The 4-day assessment, conducted in close collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean and the WHO Country Office in Jordan, is a mandatory exercise in transparency and accountability under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005). This year’s findings will establish a baseline for tracking future progress, with the goal of driving an upward trend in Jordan’s capacity scores.
While all 196 WHO State Parties are required to report on the status of their core public health capacities, Jordan approached this year’s assessment not just as a reporting requirement but as a strategic, multisectoral review of over 15 technical areas, ranging from laboratory systems and surveillance to food safety and radiation emergencies.
A cornerstone of the IHR (2005) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, SPARs provide a standardized mechanism for countries to monitor their ability to manage public health risks that may spread internationally. By self-reporting within this shared global framework, countries contribute to a collective early-warning system that ensures regional and global health security is maintained through transparent and consistent data sharing.
A multisectoral approach to collective threats
The assessment brought together more than 25 experts and technical representatives from across the Jordanian government. The whole-of-government approach included officials from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, food safety authorities, civil aviation, border control and environmental institutions.
Working alongside technical specialists from the WHO Regional Office, Jordan ensured that its national self-assessment was supported by regional expertise and met international standards. The rigorous process reviewed and externally validated Jordan’s capacities to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats and helped ensure that the findings accurately reflect operational readiness. This collaborative model – where regional and country offices provide the technical orientation and advocacy needed to turn raw data into actionable health policy – reinforces the One WHO approach.
Strengthening the foundations of health security
Using the second edition of the SPAR tool, which evaluates 35 indicators across 15 technical capacities, the 2026 assessment allowed Jordan to map its progress on a scale from 1 (no capacity) to 5 (sustainable capacity), informing a granular understanding of where the health system stands.
The findings confirmed that Jordan maintains robust and well-balanced capacities in several critical sectors, including:
- surveillance and coordination
high levels of efficiency in detecting and notifying public health events were demonstrated;
- emergency management
Jordan displayed strong readiness to activate response mechanisms during crises;
- laboratory systems
Jordan’s laboratories maintain the diagnostic capacity needed to identify priority pathogens quickly; and
- workforce readiness
a skilled, multidisciplinary health workforce is available at both the national and subnational levels.
Identifying priorities for a resilient future
The review identified gaps as well as strengths.
In line with regional trends across the Eastern Mediterranean, the assessment highlighted areas for continued investment and strategic focus. They include:
- sustainable financing
ensuring predictable funding for IHR core capacities beyond emergency cycles;
- risk communication and community engagement (RCCE)
strengthening 2-way dialogue to build community trust during outbreaks;
- points of entry
enhancing health security at airports and ground crossings to manage cross-border risks; and
- chemical and radiation preparedness
scaling up specialized capacities to respond to non-biological hazards.
From assessment to action
The conclusion of the SPAR process marks the beginning of the next phase of work. Assessment findings have already been translated into a prioritized and costed operational plan linked to Jordan's National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS). By establishing a dedicated implementation tracking mechanism, Jordan and WHO will monitor progress in real-time, ensuring that recommendations are fully institutionalized.
At a time when the Eastern Mediterranean Region faces complex humanitarian and public health challenges, Jordan’s proactive engagement sets a benchmark for regional cooperation. By reinforcing its primary health care systems and facilitating multisectoral dialogue, Jordan is building a resilient foundation capable of protecting its population and the wider Region from future public health threats.
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