AMMAN — Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Sunday conducted field visits to sites in Zarqa Governorate and Umm ar-Rasas District, as part of his ongoing inspection tour programme aimed at evaluating public services on the ground.

 

The tour included stops at Zarqa Public Hospital, Sibawayh Primary School for Boys in the Zarqa Qasaba District, the Umm ar-Rasas archaeological site, and the Umm ar-Rasas Women’s Cooperative Association.

 

Accompanied by the minister of gealth and the governor of Zarqa, the prime Minister toured various departments at Zarqa Public Hospital, listening to feedback from patients and medical staff, according to a Prime Ministry statement.

 

The hospital, which opened in 2015 with a capacity of 494 beds, serves over two million residents and receives around 1,500 visitors daily.

 

Hassan ordered the tripling of intensive care beds, from 17 to 67, through the addition of 50 new beds and the preparation of an entire floor for ICU services, to be completed by the end of 2025.

 

He also ordered increasing the number of medical staff, improving patient waiting areas, reducing wait times in the emergency room and outpatient clinics, and establishing an effective complaints and feedback mechanism.

 

At Sibawayh Primary School for Boys, established in 1976 and operating on a double-shift system for over 380 students, the prime minister, joined by the minister of education, met with teachers and students to hear their concerns.

 

He announced the construction of a new building adjacent to the current school to house 12 classrooms, a computer lab, and a teachers’ lounge. The current facility will be renovated, with plans for air conditioning, upgraded schoolyards, and the addition of sports fields.

 

Touring the 1,200-dunum archaeological site of Umm ar-Rasas, home to 16 ancient churches, mosaic floors, a Roman fort, and other ruins, the prime minister, along with the minister of tourism and the Governor of Amman, called for accelerated conservation efforts.

 

He stressed the importance of preserving the site’s historical integrity, completing the internal road to the site’s iconic tower, and ramping up promotional campaigns to increase both domestic and international tourism.

 

The site has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004.

 

Wrapping up his tour, Hassan visited the Umm ar-Rasas Women’s Cooperative Association, accompanied by the minister of agriculture. He was briefed on training initiatives and income-generating projects aimed at empowering women in the local community.

 

He instructed the government to provide full support for the association, including renovating its facilities, supplying essential equipment, and deploying skilled trainers in traditional crafts and heritage-based production.

 

Hassan also called for promoting the association’s products at nearby tourist attractions such as Umm ar-Rasas and Qasr Al Qatraneh, as well as through the ‘Khayrat Al Dar’ online platform, a youth-led initiative previously endorsed by him during a visit to Jerash.