UNRWA AND THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA THROUGH THE SAUDI FUND FOR DEVELOPMENT
INAUGURATE THE NEW AQBAT JABR HEALTH CENTRE
28 October 2016
On Tuesday, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) inaugurated the new UNRWA Health Centre in Aqbat Jabr refugee camp in the Jordan Valley in the West Bank. The Health Centre was constructed with a generous grant of US$ 1,900,000 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD).
The inauguration was attended by Director of UNRWA Operations in the West Bank Scott Anderson and UNRWA Senior External Relations and Projects Officer Munir Manneh. Also present were UNRWA health staff and representatives of the local community.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Anderson said: “The new Health Centre will allow UNRWA to address the health needs of Palestine refugees in Aqbat Jabr refugee camp in an accessible, spacious and safe environment. I extend my gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their generous donation, which will significantly improve the quality of care provided by UNRWA in Aqbat Jabr.”
At 1,900 sq m, the new Health Centre includes three family health zones, all of which consists of family planning and antenatal rooms, mother and child health care, and care for patients with non-communicable diseases. In addition, the Health Centre also includes a dental care unit, laboratory services, an x-ray room, a physiotherapy unit and a psychosocial counseling room. The new Aqbat Jabr Health Centre will serve approximately 14,600 beneficiaries living in Aqbat Jabr refugee camp and the surrounding area.
Also commenting on the project, UNRWA Senior External Relations and Projects Officer Munir Manneh remarked: “This project represents a new development in the long-standing cooperation between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and UNRWA on projects in the West Bank. It is further proof of the depth and the wide-ranging nature of our cooperation with Saudi Arabia; I would like to express particular appreciation for the role of the Saudi Fund for Development in delivering Saudi assistance. Our partnership with the Fund is deeply rewarding.”
To date, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has contributed more than US$ 500 million to UNRWA and over the past three years has become the Agency’s third-largest donor. It has also been a valued member of the UNRWA Advisory Commission, which advises and assists the Commissioner-General in carrying out the Agency’s mandate, since 2005.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
UNRWA is confronted with an increased demand for services resulting from a growth in the number of registered Palestine refugees, the extent of their vulnerability and their deepening poverty. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions and financial support has been outpaced by the growth in needs. As a result, the UNRWA Programme Budget, which supports the delivery of core essential services, operates with a large shortfall. UNRWA encourages all Member States to work collectively to exert all possible efforts to fully fund the Agency’s Programme Budget. UNRWA emergency programmes and key projects, also operating with large shortfalls, are funded through separate funding portals.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 and mandated to provide assistance and protection to some 5 million registered Palestine refugees. Its mission is to help Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip achieve their full human development potential, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. UNRWA services encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, protection and microfinance.
For more information, please contact:
Christopher Gunness
Spokesperson, Director of Advocacy & Strategic Communications
Mobile:
+972 (0)54 240 2659
Office:
+972 (0)2 589 0267
Sami Mshasha
Chief of Communications, Arabic Language Spokesperson
Mobile:
+972 (0)54 216 8295
Office:
+972 (0)2 589 0724
Document Sources: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
Country: Saudi Arabia
Subject: Assistance, Health
Publication Date: 28/10/2016