The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has concluded the first day of a significant two-day State visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, using the platform to underscore the robust, enduring partnership between the global health body and Jordan across vital areas including universal health coverage (UHC), mental health initiatives, and comprehensive humanitarian health action.
A central moment of the high-profile visit was a formal meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II, a discussion that reflected both the immense importance of the State visit and Jordan’s sustained leadership in advancing health as a premier national and global priority. The high-level talks focused heavily on strengthening foundational health systems, expanding equitable access to quality care, and sustaining international and regional support for emergency responses. Particular attention was paid to the ongoing needs of the Palestinian people, patients evacuated directly from Gaza to Jordan for specialized treatment, and the millions of refugees generously hosted inside the kingdom.
Expressing his deep gratitude, Dr Tedros stated that he wished to formally appreciate His Majesty King Abdullah II for his unwavering personal commitment to advancing universal health coverage. Dr Tedros also extended his sincere thanks to His Majesty and the people of Jordan for their remarkable solidarity, compassion, and generosity in providing essential health services to more than three million refugees, primarily originating from Gaza and Syria, who currently reside within the country.
Elaborating on these sentiments, Dr Tedros noted that the organization is deeply grateful for Jordan’s broader humanitarian leadership, explicitly highlighting His Majesty’s pioneering Medical Corridor initiative. This vital logistical and humanitarian lifeline successfully delivers critical, life-saving care to ill and injured children evacuated from Gaza. Through these ongoing actions, Dr Tedros emphasized, Jordan continues to show the global community what it truly means to put health and humanity first, even amid severe regional turmoil and constrained resources.
As part of his packed itinerary, Dr Tedros visited a specialized, WHO-supported hospital that currently provides dedicated care to children evacuated from Gaza. During the hospital tour, he met directly with young patients and their families, as well as the frontline health workers who labor tirelessly to deliver life-saving treatment for severe injuries, cancer diagnoses, and other complex, life-threatening conditions. This emotional and strategic visit highlighted the absolute necessity of maintaining the medical evacuation corridor operating through Jordan, while underscoring the urgent requirement for sustained international financial and logistical support to ensure that vulnerable children and other individuals in dire need can consistently access essential healthcare services.
Continuing his engagements, the WHO Director-General convened a critical high-level meeting with key health partners, prominent donor countries, United Nations agencies, and leading philanthropies. The gathering served as a dedicated forum to discuss strategic financing priorities aimed at reinforcing Jordan’s domestic health system and sustaining ongoing humanitarian health actions. Key talking points included the necessary scaling up of mental health services and providing robust support to nations hosting large, vulnerable refugee populations. Dr Tedros warmly welcomed the strong collaboration and continued dedication demonstrated by these partners to invest in health infrastructure and human capital in Jordan and across the wider region.
Earlier in the day, Dr Tedros held bilateral discussions with the Minister of Health, centering on the strategic enhancement of Jordan’s health system and the continued advancement of universal health coverage. Jordan has successfully demonstrated global leadership by implementing a robust primary health care approach designed to achieve UHC. This includes the successful integration of mental health services into routine care, ensuring that citizens and residents alike can access psychological support seamlessly as part of everyday medical treatment. The World Health Organization continues to actively support this pioneering work through the Director-General’s Special Initiative for Mental Health, fostering a model that other nations can study and adapt.
Significantly, the Director-General was accompanied during several key engagements by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, participating in their official capacities as founders of Archewell Philanthropies and long-standing supporters of the WHO’s global health initiatives. Archewell has previously provided critical support to a wide range of WHO initiatives, spanning from ensuring equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines to facilitating complex medical evacuation operations and championing vital mental health programs. Prince Harry participated actively in the engagements as a dedicated ally of the WHO’s work on mental health, using his platform to highlight the critical importance of investing heavily in mental healthcare across communities and emergency settings, with a particular, empathetic focus on men, young people, and children who bear the psychological scars of conflict.
Reflecting on this high-profile collaboration, Dr Tedros expressed his heartfelt gratitude, noting that he wanted to thank their partners, including Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. He remarked that their steadfast commitment to mental health advocacy and humanitarian action has successfully helped bring much-needed visibility, vital resources, and renewed hope to some of the world’s most vulnerable and forgotten communities. Their active collaboration, he added, is actively helping to advance the core mission of the WHO to ensure health for all people, regardless of their circumstances.
Adding his perspective, Prince Harry shared his thoughts on the joint mission, stating that it was an honor to join the Director-General of the World Health Organization in Jordan—a nation that is consistently leading by example through its remarkable compassion, resilience, and institutional innovation. Through their ongoing work alongside the organization via Archewell Philanthropies, Prince Harry noted that he and his wife have witnessed first-hand the profound, tangible impact of the WHO’s concerted efforts to support mental health and deliver life-saving care directly within emergency environments. He affirmed that they remain deeply and personally committed to advancing public awareness, actively reducing social stigma, and expanding access to professional mental health support for all individuals who have been adversely affected by conflict and crisis. Emphasizing the core philosophy behind their advocacy, Prince Harry added that mental health is fundamentally foundational to human recovery, personal dignity, and long-term peace, concluding that they are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the WHO and international partners to make psychological well-being a permanent global priority.
Looking ahead to the second and final day of the State visit, Dr Tedros is scheduled to visit Jordan’s National Center for Rehabilitation of Addicts. The facility, which receives vital support from the WHO, provides comprehensive, integrated medical, psychological, and social services to individuals seeking recovery. Additionally, the Director-General will meet with influential community leaders and prominent women’s groups, including representatives from the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development, to discuss grassroots empowerment and community-level resilience. He will also tour the renowned King Hussein Cancer Center to deliberate on recent advancements in specialized cancer care and explore expanded avenues for regional medical collaboration.
The high-level State visit will ultimately conclude with a series of additional engagements with international partners who actively support humanitarian operations on the ground, thereby reinforcing Jordan’s indispensable role as a central regional hub for medical evacuations, rapid emergency response, and long-term health system resilience.
[Related contact information provided by Paul Garwood, Communications Officer, and the WHO Media Team, World Health Organization.]
