A high-profile delegation from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, ADFD, the leading national entity for development aid, has attended the official launch of the new extension of the King Hussein Cancer Centre in Jordan.
The ADFD has provided Dh92 million, which is administered by the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, to finance the construction of a new outpatient building.
Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan inaugurated the state-of-the-art medical facility, named after UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
His Royal Highness Prince Talal, the Jordanian King’s Special Adviser, Her Royal Highness Princess Ghida Talal, Chairperson of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Centre, H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Humanitarian and Scientific Foundation, Ahmed Juma Al Zaabi, UAE Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs, Matar Saif Suleiman Shamsi, the UAE Ambassador to Jordan, Mohammed Hajji Al Khouri, Director-General of the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, Khalifa Al Qubaisi, Deputy Director-General of ADFD, and several high-ranking officials from both sides attended the ceremony.
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The project falls within the framework of the 2013 UAE government contribution of Dh4.6 billion (US$1.25 billion) to the Gulf Development Fund, a five-year grant programme of the Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, to support development projects in Jordan.
With a capacity to receive more than 250,000 patients a year, the new extension is set to significantly enhance the centre’s ability to treat cancer patients from across the region.
On the occasion, H.R.H. Princess Ghida Talal, said, "We extend our sincere gratitude to the UAE as well as to nations and donors that supported this project with their generous contributions. Our collective efforts will translate into immense benefits for the people of Jordan. I thank ADFD and the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation for providing and managing the project finances."
She added, "It is an honour and a great pleasure to name the new building after the UAE President in recognition of the continued support that the UAE has extended to Jordan over the years. We wish the UAE leadership and people progress and prosperity in all their endeavours."
In his remarks on the opening of the new facility, Khalifa Al Qubaisi said, "The UAE and Jordan have enjoyed long-standing cordial relations that have led to the two nations cooperating in various fields. Over the past four decades, ADFD has financed projects in key sectors, such as agriculture, water and irrigation, energy, mining, transportation, housing, education and health care, with the aim of assisting the Jordanian government in achieving its development goals."
He added, "The King Hussein Cancer Centre provides the highest standards of medical care to patients residing in Jordan and neighbouring countries. Funded by ADFD as part of the UAE grant to Jordan, the centre’s extension is a key strategic project that will have a tremendous positive impact on the region."
Mohammed Hajji Al Khouri said that under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE has pioneered in establishing humanitarian and development partnerships that serve various vital sectors, especially within the health sector.
He added that in a short period of time, the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation nurtured collaborative efforts with key stakeholders to supervise, assist, and help train relevant personnel in operating medical equipment and devices.
Al Qubaisi added: "Built in collaboration between ADFD and the Government of Jordan, the new facility has stepped up the hospital’s capacity to accommodate more patients, and provided an integrated area for patient care and medical research."
Al Qubaisi thanked the Jordanian government and the management of the King Hussein Cancer Centre for naming the building after the UAE President.
Since 1974, the ADFD has funded 31 development projects in Jordan, valued at Dh5.7 billion.
