The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, today concluded the first day of his high-profile, two-day State visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The visit serves to underscore the enduring and robust partnership between the global health body and Jordan, focusing extensively on critical areas such as universal health coverage, comprehensive mental health integration, and vital humanitarian health action across a region profoundly impacted by ongoing conflict and displacement.
A central and defining moment of the visit was today’s official meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II. This high-level dialogue powerfully reflected the overarching importance of the State visit and recognized Jordan’s steadfast national and global leadership in advancing health as both a domestic priority and an international imperative. Discussions held between the WHO leadership and the Jordanian monarch centered on practical strategies for strengthening national health systems, expanding equitable access to essential care, and sustaining international and regional support for emergency response operations. Particular attention was devoted to the plight of the Palestinian people, specifically patients evacuated directly from Gaza to Jordan for specialized medical treatment, as well as the millions of refugees historically and currently hosted within the Kingdom’s borders.
Expressing his profound gratitude, Dr Tedros spoke directly to the Kingdom’s enduring humanitarian ethos during his meetings. "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 further emphasized the extraordinary scope of the nation’s humanitarian footprint, adding, "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."
Following these high-level political consultations, Dr Tedros dedicated a significant portion of his day to visiting a WHO-supported hospital facility that provides specialized, high-level care to children evacuated directly from the Gaza Strip. During the hospital tour, the WHO Director-General walked the wards to meet young patients and their families, offering words of comfort and solidarity. He also spent time speaking with the frontline health workers who labor tirelessly under immense pressure to deliver life-saving treatments for severe traumatic injuries, advanced cancer cases, and other complex, life-threatening conditions. This deeply moving field visit starkly highlighted the vital importance of the medical evacuation corridor operating smoothly through Jordan, while simultaneously underscoring the urgent need for sustained, predictable international financial and logistical support to ensure that vulnerable children and other displaced individuals can continue to access indispensable medical interventions.
Continuing his packed itinerary, the Director-General subsequently convened a high-level strategic meeting with key health partners, prominent donor countries, various United Nations agencies, and leading philanthropic organizations. The primary objective of this roundtable was to evaluate and coordinate financing priorities aimed at bolstering health system resilience within Jordan, while concurrently addressing ongoing humanitarian health action mandates. Discussions within the forum heavily emphasized the necessity of scaling up specialized mental health services and supporting host nations that bear the immense structural and financial responsibility of accommodating large refugee populations. Dr Tedros openly welcomed the strong collaboration and unwavering commitment demonstrated by these various partners, praising their ongoing willingness to invest robustly in health infrastructure and services within Jordan and across the broader Middle Eastern region.
In addition to the multilateral engagements, Dr Tedros held focused bilateral discussions with the Jordanian Minister of Health. These talks honed in on specific domestic reforms designed to fortify Jordan’s national health system and accelerate progress toward universal health coverage. Notably, Jordan has established itself as a global leader in successfully embedding a primary health care approach into its national framework to achieve UHC. This includes the pioneering integration of mental health services directly into primary care settings, ensuring that citizens and residents alike can access psychological support as an ordinary, routine part of their overall health care experience. The World Health Organization continues to provide vital technical and strategic support to this transformative work, operating notably through the Director-General’s Special Initiative for Mental Health.
Adding a unique dimension to the high-level visit, Dr Tedros was accompanied throughout several key engagements by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan. The royal couple participated in their official capacities as the founders of Archewell Philanthropies and as long-standing, dedicated supporters of the World Health Organization’s global mission. Over the years, Archewell has actively supported a wide array of WHO initiatives, ranging from advocacy and logistical backing for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines to critical medical evacuation programs and expansive mental health support campaigns. During the Jordan visit, Prince Harry actively participated as a committed global ally of the WHO’s ongoing mental health advocacy, using his platform to articulate the paramount importance of investing in mental health systems across diverse communities and emergency settings. His remarks paid particular attention to the unique psychological vulnerabilities faced by men, young people, and children caught in the crosshairs of humanitarian crises.
Reflecting on the partnership, Dr Tedros noted, "I want to thank our partners, including Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, whose commitment to mental health and humanitarian action has helped bring visibility, resources and hope to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. Their collaboration is helping to advance WHO’s mission to ensure health for all."
Echoing these sentiments, Prince Harry offered a personal reflection on the significance of the mission: "It is an honour to join the Director-General of the World Health Organization in Jordan, a country that is leading by example in compassion, resilience and innovation. Through our work with Archewell Philanthropies, my wife and I have seen first-hand the impact of WHO’s efforts to support mental health and deliver life-saving care in emergencies. We remain deeply committed to advancing awareness, reducing stigma and expanding access to mental health support for all those affected by conflict and crisis. Mental health is fundamental to recovery, dignity and long-term peace, and we are proud to stand with WHO and partners around the world to make it a global priority."
As the first day of the State visit drew to a close, preparations were already underway for a comprehensive second day of activities designed to examine Jordan’s health sector infrastructure more deeply. Dr Tedros is scheduled to visit Jordan’s National Center for Rehabilitation of Addicts, a specialized facility supported by the WHO that delivers integrated medical, psychological, and social rehabilitation services to individuals struggling with substance use disorders. Furthermore, the Director-General will engage directly with grassroots community leaders and influential women’s organizations, including prominent bodies such as the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development. His itinerary also includes a strategic tour of the renowned King Hussein Cancer Center, where he will hold high-level discussions regarding recent advancements in comprehensive cancer care, clinical research, and multi-country regional medical collaboration.
The multi-day State visit is slated to conclude with additional targeted engagements involving key international partners who underwrite and support vital humanitarian operations across the Middle East. These final discussions will serve to reinforce and validate Jordan’s irreplaceable, strategic role as an indispensable regional hub for medical evacuations, rapid emergency response coordination, and long-term health system resilience.
(Reporting by Paul Garwood, Communications Officer, WHO; with contributions from the WHO Media Team, World Health Organization)
