Donations continue to pour in to support Health Ministry’s efforts to stave off coronavirus

AMMAN — The Ministry of Health on Tuesday expressed appreciation towards entities from various sectors that have provided material support to the Ministry of Health, stemming from a national concern for the safety and health of citizens and protecting them from the spread of COVID-19, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

On Wednesday, the Board of Directors of the Arab Potash Company (APC) decided to increase its donation in support of the efforts of the Ministry of Health to JD3 million, after previously donating JD250,000, Petra reported.

This step comes in appreciation of the company’s board of directors for the efforts made by Jordanian institutions, headed by the Ministry of Health, to protect the Kingdom from the virus that has swept the entire world and to contribute to providing the necessary resources to the ministry.

Chairman of the APC’s Board of Directors Jamal Sarayrah said that the company is carrying out its “national duty” by supporting efforts to preserve public health in the country.

A representative of China's State Development and Investment Corporation (SDIC) in the APC Board of Directors said that work to combat this pandemic is a humanitarian effort requiring the cooperation of countries and companies, stressing keenness to provide what is needed to protect “the distinguished investment environment in the Kingdom”.

CEO of the APC Maan Nsour stated that these contributions stem from the “great responsibility” that all APC personnel feel towards the Kingdom.

Also on Wednesday, the insurance sector donated JD250,000 to the Ministry of Health, of which JD200,000 were provided by insurance companies and JD50,000 by the Jordan Insurance Federation, in support of government measures to combat the coronavirus, Petra reported.

The administrative committee of the Jordan Housing Developers Association (JHDA), in light of the pandemic spreading in the Kingdom, also on Wednesday decided to donate JD100,000 to the Ministry of Health, Petra reported.

The JHDA said that it is placing all of its capacities and property at the disposal of the government to open shelters at its headquarters and branches in the governorates.

Also on Wednesday, the Jordanian Pharmacists Association (JPA) donated JD100,000, and established a donation fund to support the government's efforts to confront COVID-19, Petra reported.

In a statement, the JPA called on companies, drug stores and pharmacists to donate to the fund, noting that 1,500 male and female pharmacists volunteered to provide support to the Ministry of Health's efforts against COVID-19.

Head of the JPA Zaid Kilani said that the volunteers will be at the disposal of the Ministry of Health to provide needed treatments and health advice to citizens.

He added that the JPA distributed 6,000 face masks for the benefit of the Kingdom's sanitation workers with the support of Munir Sukhtian Trading Group and will work in cooperation with companies and drug stores to implement plans to combat the pandemic.

 Senate President Faisal Fayez on Tuesday announced that the Senate will provide JD100,000 to the Ministry of Health as urgent assistance to enable it to continue its “great efforts to tackle the coronavirus”.

Fayez said that this amount was provided through the Social Responsibility Fund established by the Senate for its members, which has financial resources consisting of fixed monthly deductions from senators' allocations, Petra reported.

Speaker of the Lower House Atef Tarawneh on Tuesday also decided to deduct JD100,000 from the Lower House’s budget for the benefit of the Ministry of Health.

According to a letter addressed to the prime minister, the move comes to support national efforts to confront the coronavirus, Petra reported.

Aqaba Governorate Council on Tuesday donated JD100,000 to the Ministry of Health to combat the coronavirus pandemic, according to Petra.

The board of directors of the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) on Tuesday also decided to contribute JD300,000 to support the Ministry of Health, Chairman of the Board Muhammad Thunaibat said.

Thunaibat also said that the JPMC has sent its medical and nursing staff to its various locations and placed the buses and means of transportation available to it at the disposal of the Ministry of Health,Petra reported.

A judicial source confirmed that court judges, working and retired, donated JD100,000 to the Ministry of Health.

Zain Jordan on Tuesday announced that it is providing 24 medical beds to the King Abdullah University Hospital in Irbid Governorate, adding that it will also double the Internet capacity of all hotels approved for quarantine in the Kingdom for free, and provided individuals with Internet service (Wi-Fi), with the aim of serving citizens subject to quarantine in these hotels.

The company has also moved its mobile clinic, under the management of a specialist doctor, to the Dead Sea region where quarantined citizens are present, as part of its continuous support to the health sector in the Kingdom, and to bolster efforts to contain the novel coronavirus and limit its spread.

Hikma Pharmaceuticals Company on Tuesday announced a donation of medications worth JD2 million to support the government's efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus, based on its “firm commitment” to support local communities.

In the context, the company is continuing its support to the Ministry of Health through the national campaign "Ask about the Coronavirus", which provides the free hotline (111) to all citizens to inquire about the virus and its symptoms and talk to accredited doctors, in cooperation with a medical company specialised in electronic medical consultations.

The boards of the Jordan, Amman, Irbid and Zarqa chambers of industry on Tuesday also donated JD70,000 to the Ministry of Health, Petra reported.

For all those wishing to donate towards efforts countering the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministry has designated a bank account number at the Central Bank of Jordan under the name (Donations/Ministry of Health) No. (1/310/1181), with the IBAN (JO29 CBJO 0010 0000 0000 0131 0011 81).