By World Health Organization Jordan.
Through support from the World Health Organization (WHO), health workers in Jordan are strengthening their ability to provide holistic, family-centered care through the Care for Child Development (CCD) training program.
Dr. Jihad Nazzal, a Family Doctor at Princess Basma Comprehensive Health Center with 13 years of experience, shared how the training transformed both his professional practice and perspective as a health care provider and parent.
Before the training, consultations mainly focused on clinical aspects of child health. Following the CCD program, Dr. Nazzal adopted a more comprehensive approach that integrates communication, responsive caregiving, child development, and safety considerations into routine primary care services. He explained that the training helped broaden providers’ perspectives toward more holistic care for children and families.
The training also improved the way child development is documented and interpreted within child health records. According to Dr. Nazzal, growth chart documentation and interpretation are now conducted differently, allowing providers to better connect developmental indicators and improve the quality of follow-up and counseling provided to families.
In addition, the CCD approach strengthened communication between health care providers, caregivers, and children. This contributed to improved caregiver understanding, stronger trust during consultations, and more child-friendly interactions at the primary care level.
Dr. Nazzal particularly highlighted the value of integrating all parenting domains—including health, nutrition, early learning, responsive caregiving, and safety and security—within primary care consultations, emphasizing that family doctors are often the first point of contact for children and their families.
Despite some operational challenges, such as limited availability of diagnostic tools, the training demonstrated how strengthening provider capacities can improve the quality of counseling, caregiver engagement, and child development support within primary care services.
“The holistic approach allowed me to connect the dots and approach each child from different aspects.”
— Dr. Jihad Nazzal