Abu Dhabi: In a report issued on World Health Day on Saturday, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) revealed that it has allocated Dh2.5 billion till date to support health care projects across the developing world.
The fund, established in 1971, has financed the construction of hospitals and treatment centres, purchase of medical equipment and medicines, and hosting of preventive health programmes.
Mohammad Saif Al Suwaidi, director-general of ADFD, said: “World Health Day presents an ideal opportunity to stress the importance of making high-quality health care available in the developing world. Since its inception in 1971, ADFD has worked relentlessly to improve the quality of health care services in developing countries. The fund has identified health care as one of the priority sectors that promote sustainable development.”
He added: “With the continued support of the Government of Abu Dhabi, ADFD has contributed to the financing of major health care projects across the developing world over the past years. In line with the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), health care is a key sector prioritised by ADFD as part of its funding strategy, and the projects the fund supported in this field have translated into a profound impact on the lives of millions of people worldwide.”
Among the health care projects funded by ADFD is the 200-bed children’s hospital in King Hussain Medical City in Jordan. The fund earmarked Dh73 million for the first two phases of the project.
Furthermore, ADFD supported the expansion of King Hussain Medical City through allocating Dh735 million towards the construction of a new 940-bed hospital. The facility accommodates more than 1,200 patients daily. ADFD also funded Al Bashir Hospital and the King Hussain Cancer Centre in Jordan.
In Pakistan, ADFD provided Dh94 million to build the Emirates Hospital — an integrated speciality medical centre with 1,000 beds. Catering to Pakistani military personnel and their families, as well as civilians with critical conditions, the facility has the capacity to receive 6,000 patients daily.
In the Seychelles, ADFD funded an Dh16.3-million integrated health care project that seeks to provide high-quality care and treatment at an affordable cost.
In Turkmenistan, the fund allocated Dh182 million towards the development of a series of integrated health centres that aim to improve the quality of health care services and to treat complicated diseases in a bid to reduce disabilities and mortality rates among the population.
Moreover, ADFD financed the construction of the Dh16-million Shaikh Khalifa Hospital on the Comoros and a Dh562-million cardiac centre in Bahrain that seeks to reduce the pressure on specialised heart disease treatment facilities in the country.
