WHO Director-General Visits Jordan, Highlights Health Collaboration and Humanitarian Efforts

Amman, Jordan – The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, concluded the first day of a two-day State visit to Jordan on February 25, 2026, emphasizing the strong partnership between WHO and Jordan in areas including universal health coverage (UHC), mental health, and humanitarian health action.

Meeting with King Abdullah II

A key moment of the visit was a meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II, underscoring Jordan’s leadership in prioritizing health both nationally and globally. Discussions centered on strengthening health systems, expanding access to care, and sustaining support for emergency responses, particularly for those affected by the ongoing crisis in Gaza, patients evacuated to Jordan for treatment, and refugees hosted within the country.

“I wish to express my appreciation to His Majesty King Abdullah II for his commitment to advancing universal health coverage,” stated Dr. Tedros. He also thanked the King and the Jordanian people for providing health services to over three million refugees, primarily from Gaza and Syria. Dr. Tedros further acknowledged Jordan’s humanitarian leadership, specifically mentioning His Majesty’s Medical Corridor initiative, which provides critical care to ill and injured children from Gaza.

Focus on Humanitarian Aid and Mental Health

During his visit, Dr. Tedros toured a WHO-supported hospital providing specialized care to children evacuated from Gaza, meeting with young patients, their families, and frontline health workers. This visit highlighted the importance of the medical evacuation corridor facilitated by Jordan and the require for continued international support to ensure access to essential care.

Dr. Tedros also convened a high-level meeting with health partners, donors, UN agencies, and philanthropic organizations to discuss financing priorities for strengthening Jordan’s health system and ongoing humanitarian health action. A key focus of the discussion was scaling up mental health services and supporting countries hosting large refugee populations.

Jordan has demonstrated global leadership in strengthening a primary health care approach to achieve UHC, including the integration of mental health services into routine care. WHO continues to support this operate through the Director-General’s Special Initiative for Mental Health.

Collaboration with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex

The Director-General was accompanied by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan, in their capacity as founders of Archewell Philanthropies and long-standing supporters of WHO’s work. Archewell has supported WHO initiatives related to equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, medical evacuation, and mental health programs.

Prince Harry participated as an ally of WHO’s work on mental health, emphasizing the importance of investing in mental health across communities and emergency settings, with a particular focus on men, young people, and children.

“I want to thank our partners, including Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, whose commitment to mental health and humanitarian action has helped bring visibility, resources and hope to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities,” said Dr. Tedros. “Their collaboration is helping to advance WHO’s mission to ensure health for all.”

Prince Harry stated, “It is an honour to join the Director-General of the World Health Organization in Jordan, a country that is leading by example in compassion, resilience and innovation. Through our work with Archewell Philanthropies, my wife and I have seen first-hand the impact of WHO’s efforts to support mental health and deliver life-saving care in emergencies. We remain deeply committed to advancing awareness, reducing stigma and expanding access to mental health support for all those affected by conflict and crisis. Mental health is fundamental to recovery, dignity and long-term peace, and we are proud to stand with WHO and partners around the world to make it a global priority.”

Future Engagements

On the second day of his visit, Dr. Tedros is scheduled to visit Jordan’s National Center for Rehabilitation of Addicts, which receives support from WHO and provides integrated medical, psychological, and social services. He will also meet with community leaders and women’s groups, including the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development, and visit the King Hussein Cancer Center to discuss advances in cancer care and regional collaboration. The visit will conclude with engagements reinforcing Jordan’s role as a regional hub for medical evacuation, emergency response, and health system resilience.