"HEALTH" PRESS RELEASES

Queen Noor inaugurates Community Rehabilitation Center for Disabled, Baqa'a.

Wednesday 7 January 1998

Her Majesty Queen Noor Wednesday inaugurated the Community Rehabilitation Center for the Disabled in Baqa'a. Queen Noor noted that while the number of institutions serving the disabled has increased from one in 1964 to 112, it is estimated that only 12% of the disabled benefit from these services, which are mostly located in major cities. The Queen praised the dedication of the center's team of volunteers and staff, who started working in Baq'a in 1988 from two small wooden barracks. With the help of the Swedish organization Daikonia, UNRWA, the embassies of Palestine, the United States and Germany and donations from Jordanians, they were able to raise funds to build this new comprehensive regional center. The Queen, who donated equipment to the center, presented the its sponsors with plaques in honor of their contributions and support.

The Community Rehabilitation Center is a two-story building with 30 classrooms, a cafeteria, departments for physiotherapy, occupational therapy and sections for patients with mental, physical and multiple disabilities. The staff includes specialists from international organizations and 33 local volunteers. The center cares for 80 children between the ages of 4 – 14 daily, while an additional 80 children take advantage of the center's services on a weekly basis. According to the center's estimates, 4 – 5 % of the inhabitants of Baq'a and Al-Hawd are disabled.

Last July, the Minster of Social Development Mohammed Khair Mamser declared that the year 1998 would be dedicated to caring for the disabled. According to the Minister, at least 80,000 disabled people in Jordan are not receiving medical care. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the number of those suffering from disabilities ranges from 7 – 10% of the population i.e. 370,000 – 400,000 Jordanians.

The Baqa'a camp was set up in 1968 to accommodate Palestinian refugees and displaced persons who left the West Bank and Gaza Strip as a result of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) provides education, health and social services to the camp residents. Jordan has been providing assistance to refugees who now reside in 10 camps in the Kingdom and has recently allocation JD 173 million as part of a social security package program to improve services for these camps. Jordan, which hosts 41% of the total Palestinian refugees in the diaspora, is spending approximately $350 million annually on refugees living in Jordan – a sum which is almost equivalent to UNRWA’s annual budget.

Queen Noor was received by the Governor of Baq'a, President of the Center's local committee Dr. Ibrahim Badwan, UNRWA Director and Director of the Center Mrs. Nimah Shaban.