King Abdullah visits clinic

To the shock of doctors, staff and patients at the Al Hashemi Shamali Health Centre, Jordan's King Abdullah on Tuesday showed up to check on the quality of service at the public facility in the east Amman neighbourhood. The King listened to patients' complaints at the crowded corridors of the clinic, which offers service to tens of thousands in one of the oldest and most densely-populated neighbourhoods of the capital. They demanded a better level of service at the medical facility. Inspecting the laboratory and emergency and radiology units, King Abdullah directed the management to carry out maintenance of the two-storey facility and add a third, 600-square metre floor to accommodate the growing number of beneficiaries. He also called for updating medical equipment, particularly the X-ray and dentistry units, to offer optimal healthcare to the underprivileged community. The understaffed centre provides service to 142,000 people annually, 450 daily, in primary healthcare, family medicine, ophthalmology, dermatology and dentistry as wells as maternity and childcare. "The King's sudden visit reflects his keenness on improving the reality of healthcare for citizens.. and the centre will witness a quantum leap, thanks to His Majesty's directives which touched on the centres's fundamental needs," said centre director Othman Abu Zeid. He said the staff's biggest headache was the large numbers of patients, which pose a huge burden on the medical and technical cadres and its capacity to offer the required service. The King's tour is the latest in a series of surprise visits to state hospitals and other institutions across the Kingdom to closely follow up on citizens' needs and keep public sector staff on their toes. "We were at the crowded waiting room when surprisingly we saw His Majesty entering the clinic to be assured on our conditions as he is concerned with improving service at the centre," said patient Sherin Mohammad Helmi.