In the centennial march ..

By: Professor Dr. Abdullah Al-Bashir

Chairman of the Board of Directors – General Manager

As the nation enters its second centennial today, there are certain truths imposed by this great occasion that form a positive and realistic starting point for entering through the gateway of the new century, along with the new world and all its requirements and characteristics, after the era of globalization, the small village, the information revolution, communication and technology, and of course, the era of COVID-19 and the coronavirus.

In these days, as we transition into another century of the Kingdom’s existence, its established political system, and the social framework based on the concept of national unity, an agreement founded on moderation and centrism, building the foundations of dialogue, accepting others, and opening spaces for democracy and human rights, and enhancing the citizen’s status, we start from the historic Hashemite principle that states ‘the citizen is our most precious asset.’

The kingdom also had a rich record of achievements on various levels and sectors, as the limited resources and pressures from the political neighborhood, as well as the occupation of 1967 and the repercussions of the conflict, did not prevent the kingdom from achieving a high level of infrastructure that has not been recorded by major wealthy countries. This has led to extensive economic achievements in industry, trade, transportation, energy, agriculture, water policies, information technology, communications, medicine, and others.

In medicine, the Kingdom has recorded a rich history in a solid medical journey that leaned on early royal care, rare Jordanian medical competencies, technological capabilities, and medical establishments that laid the foundation for the Jordanian medical status in the region and the world over a period of half a century, when medical care for citizens became a priority for the state.

In the midst of this national scene filled with work, determination, and achievement, a number of our fellow doctors convened. Among those who played an active role in this journey to establish and launch a Jordanian medical institution in the private sector, which is based on this motivating environment and continues to leverage the available human and technical resources, is becoming a leading Arab medical center in the region that adds value to the integrated healthcare sector in the kingdom and the entire Arab region.

A quarter of a century ago, on one of the mornings of November 1996, it was written for the dream to come true and to bear the name (Jordan). The Jordan Hospital then became the nucleus of the sought-after Jordanian Arab edifice, scheduled to coincide with the launch point when His Majesty the late King Hussein bin Talal honored this edifice to announce (Jordan Hospital) as a Jordanian and Arab medical center, educational and referral for the countries of the region. That occasion represented a significant beginning for a project that proved its magnitude over the following few years through its role in enhancing medical services in the kingdom and providing comprehensive care in various specialties.

Benefiting from the large names and medical expertise that began with him and others that joined him later, the Jordan Hospital was able to develop a system for continuous medical training and education, graduating hundreds of medical college graduates over decades within residency and internship programs after a series of quality recognitions from the Jordanian Medical Council and the Arab Council for the Medical Specializations to grant the Jordanian and Arab board, thus enriching the Arab market with continuous generations of qualified and trained Jordanian and Arab doctors currently present in various Arab and foreign countries.

The hospital benefited from its prestigious position both Arab and globally, thus unleashing wide international relations through cooperation agreements with major global universities such as George Washington, Toledo, Nebraska, and Texas, where it implemented successful medical exchange programs for Jordanian and American doctors over the years.

In a quarter of a century, this hospital has succeeded, based on its role as a referral center for the Arab region, in registering a significant role in receiving medical tourism from various Arab countries and the world across different specializations. This has played an economic role as a contributing factor to the Jordanian economy and has earned it a globally recognized status in many international medical tourism conferences and events. Additionally, the hospital has maintained the highest levels of quality through local, Arab, and international accreditations that have placed it at the forefront, including multiple ISO certifications and national HCAC accreditation, as well as international JCI accreditation for several consecutive times.

Since November 1996, the hospital has implemented a policy of advancement and unlimited horizons to implement the concept of integrated medical care. This has opened the door to new specialties and launched organ transplant programs, liver and kidney, in addition to heart, brain, nerve, orthopedic, urological, reproductive, internal medicine, digestive system, gynecology, pediatrics, ophthalmology and respiratory surgery programs. It has also developed emergency and first aid programs based on the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II, in cooperation with George Washington University. This has qualified it to play a distinguished role in dealing with the Amman bombings, receiving the wounded and injured, and providing integrated medical care. This was accompanied by the opening of the first helipad in a private hospital in the Kingdom, which constituted a point of royal appreciation through the numerous visits of His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, may God protect him, to the hospital, which constituted a royal medal on the chest of everyone who works in this edifice.

The hospital has launched several expansion projects for its medical centers, laboratories, radiology departments, intensive care units, medical center, and other vital departments, in addition to specialized medical centers for endocrinology, diabetes, reconstruction, cosmetic surgery, fertility, infertility treatment, men’s diseases, and a number of other specialties.

He wrote to the hospital as he entered his Silver Jubilee at the age of twenty-five to confront the Corona pandemic that swept the world, including Jordan. He joined his efforts with the sincere national efforts to combat the epidemic, dedicating his capabilities to this goal and recently opening a center for Corona vaccinations and immunizations on the hospital grounds, which sparked multiple positive reactions in various regions.

Today, as the anniversary of the hospital’s founding comes a quarter century later, we pause to reflect and evaluate, noting that the Kingdom’s first centenary included several major edifices and institutions that constituted the core of Jordanian achievement over the course of a hundred years.

Jordan Hospital is one of them, given the medical, economic, humanitarian, social and national role played by the hospital and all its staff. We join the centennial celebrations with this joyful scene, but we pause to evaluate the achievement and highlight what we have accomplished in the Kingdom. We have in our edifice, Jordan Hospital, to continue the journey, build, elevate and set out anew, always towards greater and loftier horizons of work and success for the sake of our beloved country, our citizens and their care, and for our Arab brothers who have always considered us a distinguished medical haven, whose status we affirm every day, and to build a towering medical and scientific edifice in the centennial march.