US ambassador visits Baqaa Health Centre

AMMAN — US Ambassador to Jordan Henry T. Wooster and the Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini on Monday visited the UNRWA Baqaa Health Centre, located north of Amman. 

The Director of UNRWA Affairs in Jordan Marta Lorenzo and Director General of the Department of Palestinian Affairs Rafiq Khirfan, accompanied them on the visit that comes on the heels of the US announcement last week on the resumption of support to UNRWA, according to a statement from the UN agency.

 During the visit to the UNRWA Health Centre, Wooster said: “The US government is proud to once again support the Palestinian refugee community in Jordan — and health centres like this one — through UNRWA, and in close partnership with the Government of Jordan.  Just last week, the US government announced the resumption of US assistance to UNRWA with $150 million in new funding for UNRWA’s operations in the region, including here in Jordan.  

“This funding will provide healthcare and medicines, COVID-19 prevention, emergency relief and access to education.  As with all US assistance programmes, our partnership with UNRWA will always embody high standards and commitment to accountability, efficiency, and transparency. We look forward to this collaborative effort to do what we all want to do is help people in need. We have no better partner than UNRWA in this effort.”

 Wooster was briefed on the progress of the government-led COVID-19 vaccination campaign at the Baqaa Health Centre, one of the COVID-19 vaccination hubs designated by Jordan’s Ministry of Health as part of the country’s policy on providing equitable vaccines to all. 

UNRWA has adjusted the delivery of its primary health services during the pandemic to ensure continued access to all Palestine refugees while supporting national efforts in preventing and controlling the spread of COVID-19 in Jordan. 

Through a patient and family-centred approach, the agency has provided uninterrupted services throughout the pandemic, including door-to-door delivery of medications to chronic patients and virtual health services, the statement said. 

Wooster previously visited the Baqaa Health Centre in 2016 to inaugurate the expansion of medical facility, supported by US funding to UNRWA. 

“I welcome the resumption of US support to UNRWA and welcome the renewed engagement of a longtime partner,” said Lazzarini.

“The adaptability and responsiveness of the UNRWA medical teams throughout the pandemic and their increased reliance on modern technology, including mobile health applications, are key to the contributions of UNRWA to the field of public health in Jordan,” he said. 

The resumption of US assistance will greatly help the UNRWA Jordan Field Office to continue its services to more than 2.4 million Palestine refugees. Services include quality education to almost 120,000 students at 169 UNRWA schools, health services at 25 health centres around the Kingdom, emergency to the most vulnerable Palestine refugees, including some 18,000 Palestine refugees from Syria in Jordan, the statement said.

“COVID-19 and ensuing closures and lockdown have put an enormous pressure on everyone in Jordan including Palestine refugees. Limited resources have restricted the ability of UNRWA to step up its services to be able to fully respond to dire needs,” said Lorenzo. 

“We chose to show this location for the US ambassador to demonstrate the relevance and adaptability of UNRWA services, the continued primary health services and emergency response we provide during the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to vaccination services in cooperation with the Jordanian Ministry of Health. These are among the many examples of modern, quality services the agency provides when it receives adequate funding,” she said.