Amman: Minister of Health Ibrahim Bdour opened the fifth annual conference of the Jordanian Society of Nuclear Medicine, with the participation of more than 250 physicians, specialists, medical physicists, pharmacists, and technicians from 14 countries.
According to Jordan News Agency, the conference, organized by the society under the umbrella of the Jordan Medical Association, highlights Jordan's progress in nuclear medicine and its growing role as a regional center for training, research, and capacity building. The three-day conference features more than 30 speakers and experts from Jordan, the region, Europe, and the United States, as well as representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC). Its scientific program covers the latest developments in molecular imaging, radionuclide therapy, radiopharmaceuticals, nuclear medical physics, and research.
Bdour said nuclear medicine has become a pillar of precision medicine by combining molecular imaging with targeted radionuclide therapy, enabling more accurate and effective diagnosis and treatment and improving patient outcomes and quality of life. He added that Jordan has made qualitative progress in nuclear medicine services through cooperation among the King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC), the Ministry of Health, Royal Medical Services (RMS), and other national institutions.
He noted that introducing modern PET/CT and SPECT/CT scanners at Al-Bashir Hospitals, with support from the IAEA and the JAEC, represents an important step toward expanding advanced diagnostic services across the Kingdom. Bdour said the Ministry of Health continues to support the development of nuclear medicine services, enhance training, and invest in modern technology. He also commended the launch of unified national cancer treatment protocols, in which nuclear medicine plays a key role, particularly in treating thyroid cancer, prostate cancer, and neuroendocrine tumors.
President of the Jordan Medical Association, Issa Khashashneh, stated that the conference addresses one of the most precise and advanced medical specialties, noting that the association supports such conferences for their pioneering role in continuing medical education, promoting scientific research, and keeping up with the latest developments in the nuclear field, which contributes to improving medical practice and enhancing the quality of healthcare provided.
Jordanian Society of Nuclear Medicine President Akram Al-Ibraheem noted that Jordan has become one of the region's leading centers for molecular imaging and radionuclide therapy, supported by close partnerships among national institutions and continued support from the IAEA. He said the nuclear medicine department at KHCC has become a regional and international center of excellence in training, research, and radionuclide therapy. Over recent years, it has received more than 300 physicians, specialists, medical physicists, and technicians from across the region through specialized training programs and has helped graduate generations of nuclear medicine specialists now working in several Arab countries.
Al-Ibraheem highlighted that Jordan was among the first countries to introduce modern nuclear medicine applications, helped establish the Arab Society of Nuclear Medicine, and hosted the first Asia Oceania Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology conference in West Asia. He also emphasized Jordan's growing role in research through hundreds of published studies and participation in drafting and leading several international recommendations.
The conference follows the conclusion of the IAEA's ARASIA regional training course, hosted by KHCC, reaffirming Jordan's growing role as a regional center for training and capacity building in nuclear medicine.