Amman, Jordan, June 24, 2024

In a significant collaboration, the Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) launched a new project to provide primary healthcare services to more than 23,000 Syrian refugees in Za’atari Refugee Camp. This initiative, set to extend for approximately two and a half years, marks a critical step towards addressing the urgent healthcare needs of the world’s largest Syrian refugee camp.

The IRC will collaborate closely with Qatar Charity and Qatar Red Crescent Society, as a consortium of healthcare providers, to offer reproductive healthcare services, treat non-communicable and chronic diseases, and supply vaccination services. More critically, the IRC will support the rollout of the Health Information System (HIS) to implementing partners, to manage healthcare data more effectively and streamline the delivery of health services across the three clinics.   

The partnership between the IRC and the Qatari partners adopts an innovative collaborative approach aimed at strengthening local capacities and supporting the Jordanian Ministry of Health’s operations within the camp to ease the pressure on national health systems.

Mr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al-Aseeri, Acting Director General at Qatar Fund for Development, affirmed the Fund’s cooperation: “We are delighted to announce the collaborative project between QFFD and IRC. This clinic inauguration is a step towards ensuring effective partnership in enhancing the healthcare system in the Za’atari camp. At QFFD, we strive towards collective action to achieve dignified lives for refugees worldwide. Ease of access to healthcare is the gateway for creating successful essential primary health systems as receiving healthcare is a right for all.”

David Miliband, President and CEO of the IRC said: “This inaugural partnership with Qatar Fund for Development demonstrates the lifesaving impact and scale of bold commitments. We are grateful for their dedication to support people impacted by conflict and crisis."

The decrease in humanitarian funding for the Syria response plan in Jordan has impacted the availability of health services in Za’atari camp and forced many humanitarian actors to exit the camp, leading to more than 80,000 refugees –half of whom are children- lacking adequate access to critical medical services.

Moreover, there is a severe shortage of specialized healthcare services in Za’atari. The camp residents are in dire need of services to treat chronic illnesses, family planning, and reproductive health while referrals to health providers outside the camp remain limited due to costs and an over-stretched public health system.

Nivedita Monga, IRC Country Director in Jordan, added:  “The generous funding from QFFD comes at a pivotal time. Previous findings have shown that the health needs in Syrian refugee camps are growing, while the availability of primary health services is shrinking. This partnership empowers us to sustain and expand vital and much-needed health care services through the IRC’s and partners’ clinics to thousands of refugees in Za’atari.”