The Noor Al Hussein Foundation’s Institute for Family Health (IFH) on Monday officially launched a new comprehensive health center in North Hashimi to better serve vulnerable members of the community who live in East Amman. NHF also unveiled a new mobile eye clinic that will tour Jordan.

The new health center - which will provide a complete array of health care services in addition to mental health counseling, psychosocial services, and physical therapy for those with disabilities-is an expansion of the IFH’s facilities which have already been serving vulnerable residents in Sweileh.

The official opening of the new location, under the Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Noor, included a tour of the new clinics housed in a four-story building with 35 staff members located next to the Abdullah Azam Mosque in North Hashimi.

Its health care services include reproductive health, dental care, and pediatrics.The new health center aims to provide high quality services free of charge to the most vulnerable, and minimal fees to other members of the community.

IFHDirector Dr. Manal Tahtamouni says excitement in the neighborhood has been building for weeks:

“The local communities are looking to benefit from all of our activities in a family-friendly environment,” explained Tahtamouni, “we are everyday approached by women and families looking to see the new services and new approaches that we will provide to the local community.”

Tahtamouni adds the new location is critical in meeting the needs of the underserved community currently residing in East Amman. The new building will enable the IFH to reach its target group which includes Jordanians, Iraqis and Syrians with funding from the international community.The IFH hopes to serve 7,000 clients from the new location in the coming year.

The NHF is seeking funding to replicate this model in the south where there is a huge need for innovative services.

The new mobile eye clinic will provide free medical eye exams and eye glasses to the disadvantaged living in poverty pockets in Jordan.

The IFH signed an agreement with Mouna Shami, the daughter of Dr. Mahmoud Shami, owner and Director of Optikos Shami which is committed to managing the mobile eye clinic and providing technicians for the next three years.

Shami remarked that she’s happy to contribute to the NHF’s development initiatives and today’s agreement falls within the framework of Optikos Shami’s social responsibility in service to Jordan.

During today’s ceremony Ricard thanked the King Hussein Foundation for its commitment to fighting to improve the lives of others and giving time to understand people who are less fortunate.

The French Ambassador to Jordan, Madame Corinne Brueze, also attended the formal unveiling of the new health center and the mobile eye clinic.