WHO Chief Concludes First Day of State Visit to Jordan

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has concluded the first day of a two-day State visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, highlighting the country's leadership in universal health coverage, mental health integration and humanitarian health response.

The visit underscores Jordan's growing role as a regional health hub amid ongoing crises in Gaza and wider displacement across the Middle East.

Royal Meeting Signals Strategic Health Partnership

A central moment of the visit was a high-level meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II, reflecting Jordan's commitment to advancing health as both a national and global priority.

Talks focused on:

• Strengthening health systems and primary care

• Expanding access to universal health coverage (UHC)

• Sustaining emergency health responses in the region

• Supporting Palestinians evacuated from Gaza for treatment

• Providing care for refugees hosted in Jordan

"I wish to express my appreciation to His Majesty King Abdullah II for his commitment to advancing universal health coverage," Dr Tedros said.

He also thanked Jordan for delivering health services to more than three million refugees, primarily from Gaza and Syria — one of the highest refugee-to-population ratios in the world.

Gaza Evacuations and the Medical Corridor

Dr Tedros visited a WHO-supported hospital treating children evacuated from Gaza, meeting patients, families and frontline health workers delivering specialised care for injuries, cancer and other serious conditions.

The visit highlighted Jordan's Medical Corridor initiative, which facilitates medical evacuations for critically ill and injured children from Gaza.

"Jordan continues to show the world what it truly means to put health and humanity first," Dr Tedros said.

WHO officials stressed that sustained international funding is critical to maintaining evacuation pathways and ensuring access to life-saving care.

Mental Health and Health System Financing

The Director-General convened a high-level roundtable with donor governments, UN agencies, philanthropic partners and health stakeholders to discuss:

• Financing priorities for strengthening Jordan's health system

• Scaling up mental health services

• Supporting countries hosting large refugee populations

Jordan has been recognised globally for integrating mental health services into primary health care — a key pillar of WHO's Universal Health Coverage agenda. The work is supported through the WHO Director-General's Special Initiative for Mental Health.

In bilateral discussions with Jordan's Minister of Health, Dr Tedros reaffirmed WHO's support for expanding primary health care access and embedding mental health services within routine care systems.

Duke and Duchess of Sussex Join Visit

The Director-General was accompanied during several engagements by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, founders of Archewell Philanthropies.

Archewell has supported WHO initiatives ranging from equitable COVID-19 vaccine access to medical evacuations and mental health programmes. Prince Harry participated in discussions as an advocate for global mental health awareness.

"I want to thank our partners, including Prince Harry and Meghan, whose commitment to mental health and humanitarian action has helped bring visibility, resources and hope to some of the world's most vulnerable communities," Dr Tedros said.

Prince Harry described Jordan as "a country leading by example in compassion, resilience and innovation," adding that mental health investment is fundamental to recovery and long-term peace.

Second Day Focus: Rehabilitation and Cancer Care

On the second day of the visit, Dr Tedros is scheduled to:

• Visit Jordan's National Center for Rehabilitation of Addicts, supported by WHO

• Meet with community leaders and women's groups, including the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development

• Tour the King Hussein Cancer Center to discuss advances in cancer care and regional collaboration

The State visit will conclude with additional meetings reinforcing Jordan's role as a regional hub for medical evacuation, humanitarian response and health system resilience.

The engagement highlights WHO's broader strategy of strengthening frontline health systems in crisis-affected regions while embedding mental health, cancer care and emergency preparedness into national health frameworks.