Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Visit Jordanian Addiction Treatment Center

Alanbatnews -

Amman, Jordan – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, recently visited the National Center for Rehabilitation of Addicts in Shafa Badran, Amman, underscoring the growing importance of mental health and addiction treatment in Jordan.

The visit, which also included the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom, highlights Jordan's commitment to prioritizing mental health as a cornerstone of public health, societal stability, and sustainable development, according to Minister of Health Ibrahim Al-Badour.

During the tour, Al-Badour emphasized the Ministry of Health's adoption of a comprehensive national framework focused on prevention, expanded treatment services, and the integration of healthcare, psychological, and social support within a unified system. This approach aims to enhance the effectiveness of responses to patient needs and improve the quality of services provided.

Al-Badour noted the strengthening of community services, with 73 mental health clinics currently operating across the Kingdom's governorates. This expansion has improved access to services and promoted equity in the provision of mental healthcare.

One of the Ministry’s key achievements in addiction treatment is the establishment of a new inpatient treatment facility with the support of the WHO. The National Center for Mental Health offers short-term residential and outpatient services, including medical detoxification, psychological support, and social counseling.

Al-Badour affirmed the continued collaboration with international partners to enhance the quality of services and align them with global best practices, reiterating the Kingdom’s commitment to investing in mental health as a foundation for community security and progress.

The delegation received a briefing from the center's director, Ahmad Al-Hunaiti, on the center's operational mechanisms and adopted treatment and rehabilitation programs. They also learned about the experiences of several beneficiaries of the center's services and their journeys of recovery and social reintegration, in addition to the most prominent medical, psychological, and social services provided by the center to patients.