JD142m UAE grant to help fund project to expand King Hussein Medical Centre

AMMAN — The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) is providing a JD142 million grant to the Royal Medical Services to expand and increase the capacity of the King Hussein Medical Centre (KHMC).

At a press conference on Tuesday to announce the support at Queen Rania Al Abdullah Hospital for Children, RMS Director Maj. Gen. Muin Habashneh highlighted the strong relations between Jordan and the UAE.

Habashneh explained the importance of the grant to develop and increase the capacity of the KHMC, given the increase of demand and population.

“More than 8,000 patient a day are benefiting from the medical services at KHMC,” said Habashneh.

According to the official, a project will be implemented in three stages to expand the centre. 

The first stage includes building a medical tower with a capacity of 940 beds to replace the old King Hussein Hospital, at a cost of JD420 million.

The medical tower will include a new emergency room with a 140-bed capacity, a new intensive care unit section with 144 beds, 32 modern operating rooms, 60 kidney dialysis units, modern labs and radiology departments. 

“The building and construction work, which will start in 2019 and end in 2022, will not affect the admission of patients during the implementation of the project,” Habashneh said.

The second stage will see the construction of a new hospital for women, obstetrics and neonatal care, with 400 beds.

The third stage will deliver a new specialty medical centre with a 500-bed capacity.

“When the new tower and centre become operational, we will notice quantum leaps in the medical services provided by the centre,” concluded Habashneh.

Also speaking at the press conference, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury thanked the UAE for its support.

“The project will be jointly funded by the ADFD and the Jordanian government,” Fakhoury said.

ADFD Director General Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi said partnering with Jordan to implement “such vital projects” indicates the UAE’s commitment to the strong relations with the Kingdom.

Suwaidi highlighted the importance of this project to provide “even better” medical services to Jordanian citizens and all those who need it.  

As Jordan continues to deal with the Syrian refugee crises, it is hoped  the project will help maintain the high standards and development of the healthcare sector, he said.