Aqaba, Sept. 15 (Petra) -- Medico-legal cases in Aqaba can now be handled locally following the opening Tuesday of a forensic medicine department at Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Government Hospital, reducing referrals of judicial death cases to Amman and Karak.

The department provides specialist examinations and forensic medical reports for cases referred by the competent authorities and handles deaths requiring judicial examination and determination of the cause of death.

The service is expected to particularly benefit families of deceased persons in cases requiring a three-member medical committee, who previously had to travel outside the governorate to complete the necessary procedures.

Aqaba Governor Ayman Al-Awaisheh inaugurated the department in the presence of Aqaba Health Directorate Director Saba Al-Sharideh, Health Ministry Forensic Medicine Unit Director Hammam Al-Qatawneh and a number of officials and medical personnel.

Hospital Director Mohammad Kreishan told the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that introducing forensic medicine services at the hospital expands its capacity to deal with judicial cases in accordance with approved medical and legal procedures.

Providing the service in Aqaba will also reduce the financial, physical and psychological burden on families who previously had to travel to other governorates, particularly relatives of deceased persons in judicial cases, he added.

Al-Qatawneh said the department includes a specialist forensic medicine clinic that conducts medical examinations, prepares medico-legal reports and deals with judicially referred death cases in accordance with established legal and technical procedures.

Work is meanwhile underway to complete a dedicated forensic morgue at the hospital and equip it with the necessary infrastructure and medical equipment.

Until the morgue becomes fully operational, cases requiring post-mortem examinations and autopsies will be handled in coordination with Prince Hashem bin Abdullah II Military Hospital in Aqaba.

The new department is intended to improve access to forensic medicine services in the governorate, speed up the handling of medico-legal cases and strengthen coordination between health and judicial authorities.

//Petra// RZ