Jordan's Ministry of Health Concludes the Syrian Crisis Response Project - "Muddad" - Jordan News

Jordan News

20-03-2025

The Jordanian Ministry of Health concluded today, Thursday, the "Syrian Crisis Response Project - Muddad," which was implemented with support from the EU Regional Trust Fund for the Syrian Crisis. اضافة اعلان During the event, the achievements of the five-year project, which significantly contributed to strengthening Jordan's health system, were presented. Minister of Health Dr. Feras Al-Hawari, during his sponsorship of the event, discussed the project's pivotal role in improving the country's health infrastructure and enhancing access for all residents—both Jordanians and Syrian refugees—to advanced and high-quality healthcare services. In the presence of government representatives, health sector officials, civil society organizations, and international organizations operating in the Kingdom, he explained that the project directly contributed to expanding the national vaccination programs. Millions of vaccine doses were provided to children, helping to enhance community immunity. A modern regional vaccine warehouse was established in Irbid Governorate, and the storage capacities at the national vaccine warehouse were upgraded, enhancing Jordan's readiness to introduce new vaccines in the future. He added that the project trained and qualified over 2,000 healthcare providers, including vaccination managers, refrigeration and supply officers, to ensure the efficiency and sustainability of the national vaccination program. It also supported the transition to a strategic vaccine procurement system in collaboration with the Government Procurement Department and the Jordan Food and Drug Administration, which helped secure high-quality vaccines at the best prices. Al-Hawari emphasized that the project played a central role in enhancing the resilience of Jordan's health sector in responding to emergencies and crises, significantly impacting the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the project, vaccines, medicines, and essential medical equipment were provided, helping to limit the virus's spread and protect the health of both citizens and refugees. He also noted that the project contributed to strengthening national pharmaceutical security by establishing a strategic medical warehouse in the Yajouz area of Zarqa Governorate, ensuring a strategic stock that would cover the Kingdom's needs for an additional four months in emergencies. The EU Ambassador to Jordan, Pierre Christophe Chatzisavas, confirmed that the project achieved significant accomplishments whose effects will continue even after its conclusion, particularly in expanding vaccination coverage throughout the Kingdom, including in less fortunate areas and communities hosting Syrian refugees. He expressed the European Union's pride in participating in this initiative, which helped strengthen Jordan's ability to respond effectively to health challenges and emergencies. He added that the project greatly improved the medical supply chain by updating and rehabilitating 10 regional warehouses and constructing four new facilities for storing medicines and vaccines, which strengthens Jordan's ongoing progress toward achieving universal health coverage. For her part, Dr. Jamila Al-Raabi, WHO Representative in Jordan, stated that the World Health Organization, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the European Union, worked to enhance access to high-quality vaccination services in primary healthcare, strengthen the management of medical product supply chains, support sustainable health financing and financial protection, respond to health emergencies, and improve health surveillance and data systems. She called for continued investment in strong health systems to ensure equitable access to essential health services and strengthen sustainable partnerships to achieve health for all. On her part, the Director of Programs at the Ministry of Health, Engineer Huda Al-Ababneh, presented the efforts made during the project to strengthen the national health system, including the preparation of necessary strategies, improving infrastructure, enhancing medical supply chains, and expanding healthcare services. She pointed out that these efforts significantly contributed to Jordan's progress toward achieving universal health coverage. The total cost of the project amounted to 43 million euros. The project achieved its goals of enhancing primary healthcare, improving access to vaccination services for Syrian refugees and host communities, and improving the quality of healthcare within integrated governance systems. It also contributed to expanding primary healthcare services, ensuring that Syrian refugees and host communities received high-quality vaccinations. Some of the project's most prominent achievements include establishing a regional vaccine center in Irbid, equipping the national vaccination warehouse with solar energy, funding the purchase of four refrigeration rooms, and providing 380 refrigerators to store vaccines. These actions enhanced the efficiency and storage capacity within the national vaccination program. The project also worked on updating and developing vaccine procurement by transitioning from transaction-based purchases to strategic purchasing, ensuring high-quality vaccines at the best prices. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project played a vital role in supporting Jordan by providing life-saving medicines, medical supplies, and vaccines, as well as providing technical support to strengthen emergency preparedness and response, training staff, and building national capacities.
During the project, medical supply chains were developed and updated by building three new warehouses in the capital and Zarqa governorates and rehabilitating 10 regional warehouses in Irbid and Ma'an governorates. A new medical transport unit was also established, equipped with a fleet of refrigerated trucks to ensure the quality and effectiveness of medicines until they reach the beneficiaries.