Table 3 Existing laws alluding to quality and patient safety in each country

Jordan

In Jordanian law, the Public Health Code includes articles that emphasize the state’s responsibility to provide healthcare, and the Ministry of Health’s responsibility regarding health matters as follows:

 - Provide illness prevention, curative measures and supervisory services.

 - Organize and supervise private and public sector health services.

 - Provide citizens with health insurance within the allotted parameters.

 - Establish health, educational and training institutions related to the Ministry and to supervise their management once established.

As stipulated in Jordanian Law 9 (1999), the High Health Council is responsible for drafting health policies and developing strategic plans as well as planning health services to ensure equitable access to and provision of outstanding health services to all population. Other institutions include Jordanian Medical Council, Supreme Council for Population, Jordanian Nursing Council, National Council for Family Affairs, General Organization for Food and Drug Administration and Department of Joint Procurement

Lebanon

The Ministerial Decree 7612, issued by the parliament in 2002, which amends the legislative decree 139/83 (1983), states that “the MOPH has the right to evaluate, classify and accredit hospitals according to their status, field of specialty and range of services provided”. The decree 482/1 (2009) sets a national Committee for Accreditation of Hospitals, chaired by the Director General of Health.