WHO Director-General visits Jordan to recognize strong collaboration on health system delivery, emergency relief and advancing mental health

The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, today concluded the first day of his two-day State visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, underscoring the strong partnership between WHO and Jordan across the areas of universal health coverage (UHC), mental health and humanitarian health action.

A central moment of the visit was today’s meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II, reflecting the importance of this State visit and Jordan’s leadership in advancing health as a national and global priority. Discussions focused on strengthening health systems, expanding access to care, and sustaining support for emergency responses in the region, particularly for the Palestinian people, patients evacuated from Gaza to Jordan for treatment, and refugees hosted in Jordan.

“I wish to express my appreciation to His Majesty King Abdullah II for his commitment to advancing universal health coverage,” said Dr Tedros. “I also extend my thanks to His Majesty and the people of Jordan for their solidarity and generosity in providing health services to more than three million refugees, primarily from Gaza and Syria, who are living in the country.

Dr Tedros added: “We are grateful for Jordan’s broader humanitarian leadership, including His Majesty’s Medical Corridor initiative, which delivers critical care to ill and injured children from Gaza. Jordan continues to show the world what it truly means to put health and humanity first.”

During the day, Dr Tedros visited a WHO-supported hospital providing specialized care to children evacuated from Gaza. He met young patients and their families, as well as frontline health workers delivering life-saving treatment for injuries, cancer and other serious conditions. The visit highlighted the importance of the medical evacuation corridor through Jordan and the need for sustained international support to ensure children and others in need can access essential care.