Amman, Nov. 4 (Petra) -- Director General of the Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA), Rana Obeidat, conducted an inspection tour of the administration's branch in Aqaba on Wednesday to review workflow and operational progress.
During her meeting with branch staff, Obeidat reviewed the JFDA’s strategic plan, emphasizing the imperative of accelerating transaction processing times, noting that turnaround time serves as a primary performance metric at border crossings.
The JFDA said in a statement that the visit forms part of a broader field tour that included meetings and visits to key operational partner entities to monitor progress, address technical challenges, refine procedures, and enhance collaboration.
Visiting the Aqaba Customs Center, Obeidat discussed customs declaration procedures and potential mechanisms to streamline them, hearing feedback and key operational challenges raised by customs brokers regarding JFDA services.
In a meeting with Karimah Aldabet, the acting Chief Commissioner of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA), Obeidat underscored the deep partnership between both institutions in food and drug control as well as laboratory testing.
She called for concerted efforts to expedite the processing of JFDA-regulated goods at border crossings, affirming the administration's readiness to reinforce cooperation in areas of mutual interest and welcoming the renewal of the memorandum of understanding with ASEZA to strengthen technical expertise exchange and joint work mechanisms.
For her part, Aldabet expressed appreciation for the JFDA as a leading national institution adhering to international regulatory practices and legislation, supporting national economic competitiveness, and promoting public awareness regarding safe food and drug handling.
Accompanied by the Director of Bin Hayyan Laboratories, Muwaffaq Al-Khashman, Obeidat inspected the laboratory's departments, testing equipment, and analytical services provided to both public and private sectors, receiving a briefing on testing services covering food and environmental parameters, including water and air.
Additionally, Obeidat opened the first training workshop for community pharmacists in Jordan’s southern governorates focused on antimicrobial resistance and rationalizing antibiotic use. The workshop was organized by the JFDA in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) office in Jordan, following similar training initiatives launched in the Kingdom's central and northern regions.
//Petra// AF
