AMMAN — Minister of Health Ibrahim Badour, accompanied by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and Director-General of the World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Thursday toured the National Centre for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Shafa Badran. 

 

Badour said that mental health and addiction treatment have become national priorities in Jordan, reflecting the state’s growing recognition that mental well-being is a cornerstone of public health, social stability and sustainable development, according to a Health Ministry statement.

 

Badour noted the ministry has adopted a comprehensive national framework focusing on prevention, expanding treatment services and integrating physical, psychological and social care within a unified system to enhance responsiveness to patients’ needs and improve service quality.

 

He noted that community-based services have been strengthened, with 73 mental health clinics currently operating across the Kingdom’s governorates, contributing to improved access and greater equity in mental healthcare delivery.

 

The minister added that one of the ministry’s key achievements in addiction treatment has been the establishment of a new inpatient rehabilitation facility with support from the World Health Organisation.

 

He pointed out that the National Centre for Mental Health provides short-term residential care and outpatient services, including medically supervised detoxification, psychological support and social counselling.

 

On Wednesday, Ghebreyesus, accompanied by Prince Harry and Meghan, visited the Speciality Hospital in Amman on Wednesday, where they were briefed on the conditions of a number of children from Gaza recently evacuated to Jordan for treatment.

 

The delegation listened to testimonies from the children and their companions about the health challenges they faced over the past two years amid limited medical resources due to the blockade and ongoing hostilities in the Gaza Strip, which led to delays in receiving life-saving treatment.

 

Cases included severe war injuries, blood disorders and other critical and complex conditions requiring specialised medical interventions.

 

The hospital’s medical team outlined the comprehensive treatment pathway provided to patients, from their reception at the Jordanian border, through multidisciplinary treatment plans, to the stabilisation of their physical and psychological conditions.

 

CEO of the Speciality Hospital Fawzi Hammouri said the efforts align with Royal directives to launch the “Jordanian Medical Corridor” initiative to treat 2,000 children from Gaza, stressing that the hospital is dedicating all its medical and human resources to this humanitarian mission.

 

He praised cooperation with the World Health Organisation, the Jordan Armed Forces–Arab Army, the Ministry of Health and the crisis cell in coordinating medical evacuations from Gaza to Jordan.

 

For his part, Ghebreyesus expressed deep appreciation for Jordan’s role, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, in hosting refugees and treating patients from Gaza, as well as for the pivotal role played by Jordanian field hospitals in the enclave.

 

He commended the advanced level of medical care provided to the children, the professionalism of medical, nursing and administrative staff, and the holistic approach that takes into account humanitarian and psychological aspects alongside clinical treatment.

 

Prince Harry and Meghan also expressed their deep sympathy for the children and their families, offering messages of hope and encouragement, and reaffirming their continued support for humanitarian and medical efforts aimed at improving the lives of children affected by the health crisis in Gaza.