MONITORING REFUGEE HEALTH CENTERS IN JORDAN--

UNCLAS AMMAN 000006 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR PRM/ANE E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A TAGS: PREF EAID IZ JO SUBJECT: MONITORING REFUGEE HEALTH CENTERS IN JORDAN-- PROVIDING SERVICES TO A SMALL PATIENT GROUP ¶1. (U) Summary: RefCoord and Program Specialist visited on December 22, three health centers for the benefit of Iraqis administered by Jordan Red Crescent Society (JRC) on behalf of three different donors: UNHCR, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and ECHO. The centers were open, but not all were fully staffed. In each center, Iraqis made up a significant proportion of those seeking treatment or having prescriptions filled. The patients were aware of their rights and the free services available to them, and had not been inappropriately asked to pay for services. Staff were familiar with procedures for processing refugees, and appeared adequate to meet the demand for services. End summary. UNHCR-JRC Health Center--Doctors and UNHCR Supervision Absent -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) The UNHCR-funded Misdar Health center in East Amman was co-located with the Jordanian Red Crescent Society hospital. JRC provided medical care and administrative services. The building was clean and orderly, and reception staff attended promptly to the clients. Information on refugee rights, UNHCR registration of other refugee programs was up to date, and posted in Arabic in common areas. ¶3. (SBU) RefCoord visited the center during what UNHCR identified as high-traffic hours, but neither the UNHCR officer-in-charge nor the two doctors assigned to treat Iraqis were present. RefCoord spoke to a JRC doctor who said one of the UNHCR-funded doctors was on vacation and the other had not yet arrived at work. JRC Medical personnel filled in to examine and treat the patients. Although there were only six patients awaiting treatment, the hospital staff reported that the center received an average of 70 Iraqi patients per day, and the staff was overwhelmed by the work. IFRC-JRC Health Center Jebel Taj--Good Cooperation with Other NGOs -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) The Jebel Taj center is located in a mixed business/residential area, on the first floor of a building that also houses the PRM-funded International Medical Corps (IMC)-sponsored clinic. Medical staff reported good cooperation between the two centers. At the IFRC-supported Jebel Taj center, more than a dozen Iraqis waited for care. The center staff reported that between 20 and 30 patients seek treatment at the center on a daily basis. Doctors were present and treating patients. The center was clean and in good repair. The pharmacy was in operation, and staff carefully documented the issuance of drugs. The entrances are clearly marked. During RefCoord's visit, a patient with an injured leg had difficultly negotiating the stairs. Access to the center for handicapped patients would be difficult. IFRC-JRC Marka Health Center--A Busy Center Well Staffed -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶5. (SBU) At the Marka Clinic, RefCoord met with Dr. Abu Farha, who was employed by JRC in East Amman. Dr. Farha had served Iraqis in more than one health center, and had an overview of how Iraqis used health services in Amman. He said the Marka clinic received an average of 20 to 30 patients per day. He said that the bulk of his patients were following treatment regimes for chronic illness and came for prescription drugs. The building was clean and in good repair. Six Iraqi patients visited the clinic during RefCoord's visit. Dr. Farha said that he sees Iraqi patients at more than one center, and he noticed that some patients "abuse" the free medication available to them by filling prescriptions repeatedly at more than one center. He said, however, that this fraud was not widespread and did not effect operations. ¶6. (U) Comment: These three visits were follow-ups to earlier visits to the same health centers. The numbers of clients visiting the clinics seemed consistent with NGO/IO reporting. The numbers of medical staff on hand appeared to be sufficient to deal with the demand for services. End comment. Visit AmmanQs Classified Web Site at http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman BEECROFT