Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - A delegation of four Qatar charitable societies announced in a press conference yesterday in Amman the extension of the Fund for the Treatment of Wounded Syrians in Jordanian Hospitals. The heads and representatives of the Qatar Red Crescent, Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Foundation for Humanitarian Services (RAF), the Organization of Islamic Call, and Qatar Charity have also revealed the new budget allocated for the second phase of the Fund, estimated at USD 1.65 million to cover the treatment of the wounded Syrians for six months.
The delegation has issued an appeal to local and regional charities to contribute to the Fund to enable it to continue working to save and treat the largest number of Syrian victims. The delegation expressed its deepest gratitude to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and its people for their steady support and host of their Syrian brothers since the outbreak of the conflict.
The charities contributing to the Fund aim at mobilizing support for the initiative and secure necessary healthcare to contain the increasing numbers of victims.
“QRC’s field action and direct contact with the suffering of Syrian refugees has led us to contemplate alternative methods to accommodate the wounded moved to Jordan,” said QRC’s Secretary General Saleh bin Ali Al Mohannadi on the sidelines of a press conference held on Sunday in Amman, Jordan.
He added, “The purpose of this partnership is to provide emergency medical services for critical cases suffering head, eye, spine, and bone injuries and to save Syrian lives under current complications.”
Jassim bin Abdallah Al Jassim, adviser to Qatar Charity CEO, said, “We share a great ethical responsibility to relieve our brothers, as the conflict is larger than the capacity of any single society. This requires such partnerships among local, regional and international organizations.”
In the same context, General Manager and Chairman of RAF Board of Trustees, Ayed bin Dabsan Al Qahtani, praised the quick response of the Qatari people to help their Syrian brothers. One of the reasons for the success of this mutual effort, he pointed out, is the smooth coordination among the four charities. “The Qatari Fund for the Treatment of Wounded Syrians reflects the popular commitment of Qatar towards the fraternal Syrian people in face of the tragedies they are living day to day, with a heavy human toll.”
On his part, Hammad Al Fadani, Qatar office Director, the Organization of Islamic Call, stated, “Providing health care for the wounded Syrians should be a top priority for all societies serving displaced Syrian populations.” The official expressed his cordial appreciation to such initiatives that advance charitable work and bolster medical services to the wounded Syrians.
During the visit to Jordan, the delegation inspected the projects sponsored and undertaken by the charities at Zaatari refugee camp, Mafraq Governorate.
The Jordanian camp management warmly welcomed the delegation. Lt. Colonel Hani Al Qaysi, Zaatari camp’s deputy director, reviewed the achievements of the Jordanian authorities and their commitment to the security and safety of refugees to the maximum extent as feasible under current conditions.
Despite the overburden, Al Qaysi confirmed that the government is working hard to accommodate the refugees. He stressed the importance of consolidating Arab and international efforts to aid Syrians until they return home.
On the lines of the tour, the delegation met with Iris Blom, the UNHCR chief field coordinator, who briefed them on the current conditions inside the camp, the basic needs of its inhabitants, and the efforts of humanitarian organizations to improve the camp and help the victims lead a stable life with a preserved dignity until the crisis is resolved.
Ms. Blom commended the role of the Qatari charities to advance the lives of refugees through developing infrastructures and offering health and educational services for the camp’s 120,000 refugees.
After that, the delegation inspected the medications and surgeries for injured Syrians at Jordanian hospitals under the Fund and visited the office of QRC’s mission in Jordan to follow up on the psychological support project for refugees. They also reviewed the work of some medical and educational centers supervised and managed by the Fund’s sponsors.
In honor of the Qatar ambassador to Jordan, there will be a gala dinner, where the medical program officials and contributors will be recognized for their invaluable efforts.
Begun in mid-2013, the 1st phase of the Fund has treated 239 wounded Syrians to date at a cost of USD 1,089,317.
The four charitable societies had delegated the responsibility of implementation to the Qatar Red Crescent based on its expertise in providing medical services that conform to highest international standards.
QRC made bilateral agreements with a number of hospitals and specialized medical centers in Jordan to admit the wounded Syrians, including the Islamic Hospital, Dar Al-Salaam Hospital, Shami Center for Eye Treatment and the Dhaleel Hospital for the treatment of kidney patients. An MoU was signed with the UNHCR, under which the QRC will provide medical treatment for Syrian refugees at Zaatari camp suffering from renal failure.
The Fund was created in a bid to strengthen efforts in the medical field in light of the growing numbers of wounded Syrians and insufficient services, which led to many deaths. The poor medical services had heavily impacted the Syrian people, forcing many of the wounded to flee Syria through difficult, long and dangerous routes, amid reports on rising refugee numbers escaping to Jordan due to the violence that has erupted nearly 2.5 years ago.
A similar QRC project to treat the wounded began in Jordan in 2012 at a cost of USD 500,000 followed by a later collaboration with Qatar Charity with a budget of USD 1,700,000, treating more than 1000 patients over two years. This program had a significant impact on medical treatment and alleviating the suffering of Syrians with life-threatening injuries in the spine, head and blood vessels.