Royal directives: Army dispatches integrated field hospital to Turkey

AMMAN — Under Royal directives, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti on Friday instructed stakeholders to prepare and dispatch an integrated Jordanian field hospital to Turkey to help treat those injured in the massive earthquake that struck the country last week.

Huneiti met with hospital staff upon their departure, and conveyed the greetings of His Majesty King Abdullah, the Supreme Commander of the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army (JAF), the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

JAF Director of Military Operations Brig. Gen. Hassan Shanatwah said that the field hospital was equipped in record time under the direct supervision of Huneiti, as “time is of the essence in such circumstances”.

The quick preparations reflect the armed forces high level of efficiency and readiness to deal with such developments.

The field hospital, which was transported via the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF), includes an integrated medical team consisting of 110 doctors, nurses and administrators.

The hospital has clinics for general surgery, orthopaedics, as well as treatments for issues affecting the arteries, blood vessels, face and jaw, chest, nerves and cosmetics. The field hospital is prepared to treat children, perform emergency surgery, and is equipped with a radiology laboratory, a pharmacy, two operating rooms, an ambulance, and other various medical and therapeutic aids.

JAF senior officers, the Foreign Ministry secretary-general, the Turkish ambassador and the Turkish military attaché in Amman sent off the aircraft carrying the field hospital.