- Title: Volunteers offer free medical treatment to refugees in Jordan
- Date: 30th July 2017
- Summary: JERASH, JORDAN (JULY 22, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF THE COMMUNITY CENTRE FOR CARE AND REHABILITATION OF THE DISABLED JERASH CAMP BANNER READING (English) AND (Arabic): "THE COMMUNITY CENTRE FOR CARE AND REHABILITATION OF THE DISABLED JERASH CAMP" VARIOUS OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEES INSIDE CENTRE VARIOUS OF CHILDREN SITTING PALESTINIAN NURSE, FATIMAH AWWAD ENTERING A CHILDREN CLINIC BANNER READING (Arabic): 'CHILDREN'S CLINIC' PALESTINIAN FAMILY ENTERING CLINIC VARIOUS OF DOCTOR CARRYING OUT MEDICAL CHECK UPS ON PALESTINIAN CHILD DOCTOR CONSULTING FAMILY VARIOUS OF DOCTOR WRITING PRESCRIPTIONS DOCTOR EXAMINING ANOTHER CHILD AWWAD TALKING TO PALESTINIAN REFUGEES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN NURSE, FATIMAH AWWAD, SAYING: "The reason I did this was because I visited this camp, Gaza camp, two and a half years ago and I saw how much people needed help and how much they suffered and I felt that it was my responsibility as a Palestinian and Arab person to help as much as I can. I spent all my life in the U.S and God gave me everything and I learned everything, so I wanted to give back something myself, just how everyone is responsible to help our Arab people." VARIOUS OF DOOR WITH SIGN READING (Arabic) "PHARMACY" THREE VOLUNTEERS STANDING NEXT TO MEDICINES VARIOUS OF MEDICINES VARIOUS OF A DOCTOR EXAMINING THE HAND OF PALESTINIAN REFUGEE LIVING AT JERASH CAMP, SAADAT AL RIFAAI (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PALESTINIAN REFUGEE, SAADAT AL RIFAAI, SAYING: "The medical situation is really difficult for us in terms of turning to a private hospital or a public hospital because both of them are expensive as we are treated as foreigners even though we are people of this country. We are dealt with as foreigners - at any hospital you visit, you have to pay a great deal of money." AMMAN, JORDAN (JULY 26, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TENTS AT REFUGEE CAMP VARIOUS OF SYRIAN REFUGEES GATHERED WOMAN LOOKING VARIOUS OF A SYRIAN MAN LOOKING / STANDING OUTSIDE A TENT VOLUNTEERS GATHERED INSIDE TENT VARIOUS OF FEMALE DOCTOR CHECKING HAND OF A SYRIAN REFUGEE VOLUNTEERS CHATTING WITH REFUGEES A DOCTOR EXAMINING SYRIAN CHILD DOCTORS TALKING TO A SYRIAN FAMILY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN REFUGEE, KHALDOUN AHMED AL AHMED, SAYING: "Initiatives like this are really excellent because it provided us with a lot of medicines because I am in the Amman area and the security identification that I have is from Deir Alla (located in al Ghour), and there is no medical centre that could treat us at all. This initiative does not look for a security identification or a UNHCR (label), (they) distribute medicines free of charge." VARIOUS OF VOLUNTEERS COLLECTING SHOES VARIOUS OF A VOLUNTEER HELPING A CHILD TO WEAR SHOES CHILDREN AND REFUGEES GATHERING NEXT TO GIFTS SYRIAN CHILD RUNNING SYRIANS GATHERING
- Embargoed: 13th August 2017 11:24
- Keywords: Medical treatment refugees volunteers Jerash Camp Amman
- Location: JERASH AND AMMAN, JORDAN
- City: JERASH AND AMMAN, JORDAN
- Country: Jordan
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA0016RWR68L
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Jordanian and Palestinian medical volunteers have joined forces to provide desperate refugees with free medical treatment, a rare luxury for such victims of war.
The brainchild of Palestinian nurse Fatimah Awwad working in the U.S., Awwad said she was encouraged to kick-start the campaign after visiting the Jerash Camp three years ago.
Commonly known in Jordan as as the Gaza Camp, she managed to attract several doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other volunteers willing to play their part.
The week-long campaign kicked off on Saturday (July 22), targeting refugees living in Jordan and Lebanon, offering treatment to all ages.
Awwad said the initiative helped at least 1500 people in Jordan, adding that volunteers also distributed free clothes and shoes to refugees.
She said she felt it was her moral duty to set up the campaign.
''I felt that it was my responsibility as a Palestinian and Arab person to help as much as I can. I spent all my life in the U.S and God gave me everything and I learned everything, so I wanted to give back something myself,'' she said.
For many refugees living in Jordan and Lebanon the cost of even routine healthcare is simply beyond their means.
"The medical situation is really difficult for us in terms of turning to a private hospital or a public hospital because both of them are expensive as we are treated as foreigners even though we are people of this country," said Palestinian refugee, Saadat al Rifaai.
The Jerash Camp was set up almost 50 years ago as an emergency camp for Palestinians who left the Gaza Strip as a result of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
At the makeshift camp in Amman, Syrian refugees welcomed the volunteers with great jubilation.
Khaldoun Ahmad al Ahmad who sought refuge in Jordan four years ago, commended the medical team for treating refugees regardless of whether they had the correct paperwork.
Over 5 million people have fled Syria since 2011, seeking safety in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and beyond according to the UNHCR. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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