Injured Yemenis arrive in Jordan for treatment

By Rana Husseini - Aug 09,2015 - Last updated at Aug 09,2015

AMMAN — The first batch of injured Yemenis have arrived in Jordan for treatment at private hospitals, medical sources said Sunday.

A private charter aircraft landed in Amman on Saturday carrying 78 injured Yemenis from the war-torn country for treatment, Private Hospitals Association (PHA) President Fawzi Hammouri noted.

“One of the patients died today [Monday] as a result of 65 per cent burns he sustained over his body,” Hammouri told The Jordan Times.

The physician added that most of the Yemenis are suffering from injuries to the bones and spinal cord, and burns to different parts of their bodies.

“This batch included people with the most critical injuries and more injured patients are expected to arrive in Jordan in the coming days,” Hammouri added.

The PHA president said a special committee of Yemeni officials is supervising the medical treatment operation and is working to sign agreements with Jordanian private hospitals.

“Private hospitals’ occupancy currently stands at 60 per cent. The committee will coordinate with hospitals to allocate space for Yemeni patients and to make sure that Jordanian patients will have priority,” Hammouri added.

He stressed that private hospitals are ready to receive Yemeni patients and to “absorb the expected high number that will be arriving in Jordan accordingly”.

Health Ministry Spokesperson Hatem Azrui said the ministry will supervise treatment charges to organise the operation.

“The medical sector in Jordan enjoys a good reputation among countries of the region and the world and we will make sure that Yemeni patients get the necessary treatment,” Azrui told The Jordan Times.

Government Spokesperson Mohammad Momani said Jordan always receives anyone in need of medical treatment, citing cases of Libyan and Syrian patients treated at local hospitals after being injured in regional conflicts.

“Our hospitals are open to everyone who requires medical attention,” added Momani, who is also minister of state for media affairs and communications.

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