Last week, Islah Charitable Society (ICS) in collaboration with Japanese Embassy in Sana'a celebrated the inauguration of the new equipment provided by the latter to re-qualify Al-Hazm Medical Center. The ceremony was attended by Al-Jawf governor Fadhel Al-Qusi, head of Al-Jawf Health Office and Deputy Ambassador of Japan.  

The Japanese Embassy provided the center with ultrasound and x-ray equipments, a complete set of equipments of dentistry and an ambulance car. The total value of this grant is $90,000 together with $7,000 provided by the ICS.

The province suffers from the shortage or lack of medical services, especially in the remote and desert districts. Though the medical centers corporeally exist, there are no doctors, midwives and drugs, according to some locals. This step comes in translation of Japanese Embassy and ICS efforts to improve the health services in this governorate.

In Al-Hazm, considered the center of the province, there exists three private medical centers as well as a government center run by the Islah Charitable Society (ICS).

Inauguration Ceremony

Upon arrival, the Japanese deputy ambassador, Al-Jawf governor and ICS officials toured the Al-Hazm medical center and physically inspected the equipment provided by the Japanese Embassy in Sana'a.

ICS representative Abdul Haddi Farhan indicated that they are keen about providing better health services to locals and expressed his happiness over the new equipment that will improve the medical services provided in the center that serves all the province's locals.

Head of Health and Population Office Hatem Abu Hatem pointed out that the center is one of the best centers in the governorate, and hinted this comes in translation of President Saleh's platform as well as the directives of the governor aiming to encourage the private sector and civil society organizations to help upgrade health services.

For his part, Japanese deputy ambassador speaking weak Arabic stressed that this comes within the frame of project aiming to improve medical services in the governorate. He maintained that this also aims to activate non-government organizations to help in the development of the society. 

He also added that their support is devoted to three main sectors including water, health and education, hinting these donated equipments will help improve the citizens' health in Al-Jawf.

Shortage of medical services

Head of Al-Hazm medical center Hussein Aiyash stated to the Yemen Post that his center, despite the arrival of the recent equipment, still lacks operation rooms, especially for births. He hinted that midwives are those care for women giving birth in their center, instead of nurses.

Aiyash went on to say that his center only provides the primary first aid services and other small operations through a general practitioner, lab operator and other assistant doctors.

He emphasized the center lacks in other specializations including bleeding, surgical operations, breakings and burns, and sends such cases to Sana'a.

As for the number of cases visiting the center, he stated that the center receives about 100-150 cases a day and they come from across the province.    

Dentist Abdullah Al-Kamali assured the new equipment provided for his clinic will help improve the medical services. He also added that he personally receives on average seven cases a day.  

Central hospital still shut

According to some locals in Al-Hazm, the province has a central and fully-equipped hospital; however, it has never opened since its establishment several years ago, mainly because of differences over its administration.

It is said that the hospital was built during the late 1980s and the government agreed then to allow the land owner to administer the hospital in return for donating the land; yet, differences over the land's ownership came up later and thus the government is unable to settle the differences or open the hospital.     

Background

Al-Jawf is one of Yemen's 22 provinces and it is some 141km to the south of the capital Sana'a. It is bordered by Sa'ada on the west, Amran on the southwest, Mareb on the south east, Hadramout on east and Saudi Arabia on the north.

According to the last official census, the population of Al-Jawf is approximately 350,000 distributed in 12 districts and the capital city, Al-Hazm.

Al-Jawf is the fourth-largest province in Yemen and its total area is 39,000 km2.   

The province is the cradle of the ancient Yemeni state, Ma'een and still holds part of the most archeological sites across the republic including Al-Ma'murah (known also as Braqish), Tamna and Ma'een (known among locals as Qarnaw). 

Though it enjoys desert weather, the province could be a potential producer of wheat and other cereals which help the country dispense with importing or donations from across the globe.