His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday issued directives for the implementation of several education and health projects in the impoverished district of Deir Alla to improve the services offered to area residents.

The King gave instructions for the construction of a new building for the Dhahret Al Ramel Healthcare Centre in Deir Alla to cater for the increasing number of patients in the area. The current building is small and rented.

The centre, which serves some 35,000 people and roughly 2,000 guest workers, lacks several medical facilities such as an emergency room and maternal units.

The new premises, to be constructed over a two-dunum area owned by the Health Ministry, will include these facilities.

The King issued the directives during a meeting today with representatives from Deir Alla, one of the poorest areas in the country, to listen to their demands and needs.

“I am here to listen to your demands and concerns and I will follow up personally on the implementation of the projects,” the King told the representatives.

His Majesty also gave instructions for the creation of three dialysis units at the Princess Iman Public Hospital, as there are some 50 patients with kidney failure in Deir Alla who travel to Salt or Amman because there are no facilities in their area.

As there are more than 1,000 disabled people in Deir Alla and no facility to serve them, King Abdullah issued directives for the creation of a fully equipped rehabilitation centre for the handicapped.

The centre will provide health, social and psychological services, in addition to raising awareness among the families of the disabled on how to care for their family members.

Feasibility studies are under way for projects that would create job opportunities and reduce poverty and unemployment in the area.

The King also issued directives for the construction of new schools, as the number of students is on the rise and classrooms are crowded.

The Jordan Times