Jordan Health Care and Vaccinations

Health Care

Jordan has excellent hospitals in large towns and cities, with clinics in many villages. The standard of healthcare is generally very high, with facilities in Jordanian private hospitals as good as (or, in some cases, better than) equivalent facilities in Europe or North America. Treatment is relatively cheap compared to medical care in the US. Most medical professionals will have been trained in English-speaking countries, so the language barrier is negligible. Health insurance is essential. You should not consider any sort of travel in Jordan without suitable insurance cover.

Travellers planning to stay as a resident or long-term visitor for over 3 months should check with their nearest Jordanian embassy to find out if they need to take an HIV test as a condition of entry. HIV positive travellers can be refused entry at the border. Possessing antiretrovirals may be used as confirmation of carrier status.

Food and Drink

Jordan’s tap water is generally safe to drink in the towns and cities – it is heavily chlorinated, so may taste bad, but it will not cause harm. Nonetheless, if you can, it is advisable to stick to bottled water and pasteurised milk. Avoid dairy products made from un-boiled milk. Be careful with food and water in rural areas, ensure meat and fish are well cooked and avoid raw vegetables and ready-peeled fruit.

Other Risks

Vaccination against tuberculosis and hepatitis B is sometimes recommended. There are fears Syrian refugees have brought polio to Jordan and the WHO advises vaccinations against it. Otherwise, the main health risks come from over-exposure to the sun; sunburn, sunstroke and dehydration are all real concerns. Take care to cover your skin, both to prevent skin damage and to limit dehydration.