Hani Hazaimeh, The Jordan Times

JENIN, Palestinian Territories — Since it was dispatched to the West Bank in 2002, Jordan’s field hospital has provided medical services to thousands of residents in the governorate of Jenin.

The hospital, which once offered comprehensive medical services including advanced surgeries and brain diagnosis, is now providing medical treatment to impoverished Palestinians.

The year 2002 witnessed a huge Israeli offensive against the Palestinian northern town, focused in particular on the refugee camp in the city.

Currently, the hospital is operated by three doctors and seven nurses, in addition to a military liaison officer; all from the Royal Medical Services (RMS), the facility’s director, Marwan Qudah, told The Jordan Times Sunday during a visit to the hospital.

“We receive Palestinian patients regardless of their financial status and we provide them with medical treatment and prescriptions free of charge. The average number of citizens who seek treatment at the hospital ranges from 300 to 400 patients a day,” Qudah said, adding that such a high number of patients treated at the hospital reflects the local community’s confidence in the services offered to them.

“This is not my first visit to the hospital. I come here frequently whenever any one of my family needs medical treatment,” said Um Ibrahim, who was escorting her nine-year-old son to the hospital for treatment from a troubled stomach.

She added that the Jordanian hospital has helped the local people over the past 11 years intensively, expressing appreciation to Jordan for their support and solidarity with the Palestinians in their battle against the occupation.

According to Qudah, the hospital’s staff are replaced every two months, adding that the RMS is responsible for supplying the hospital with its needs of medical and technical items.

Jordan has dispatched three military field hospitals to Palestine, including one in Gaza and another in Ramallah.