São Paulo – The Jordanian princess Muna Al-Hussein, mother to the country’s current king, Abdullah II, visited the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital (HSL, in the Portuguese acronym) in São Paulo this Tuesday (27th) and was impressed with the facilities. She visited several areas of the hospital and complimented the professionals on their work.
Muna, who presides over the Jordanian Nursing Council, will attend the opening of the 8th Conference of the Global Network of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centres for Nursing and Midwifery, which should start tomorrow in São Paulo.
At the HSL, Muna was welcomed by Sylvia Haidar Suriani, vice president of the Women’s Beneficent Society at the institution, Riad Younes, the hospital’s clinical director, and Violeta Jafet, the Society’s president of honour. Before visiting the HSL premises, Muna watched a video about the history of the hospital and the activities and services that it provides.
According to Younes, the hospital employs 3,729 people, has 360 beds and over 40 medical specialties. There are 620 nurses, 90% of which have specialization and postgraduate degrees.
The director also claimed that the hospital has partnerships with some Arab countries, such as Syria, Lebanon, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates. “As a result of your visit, we may establish a partnership with Jordan,” he said. The partnership may include research and training.
During her visit to Training Centre of the Teaching and Research Institute (IEP, in Portuguese), Muna was impressed with the quality of the machinery and equipment, and wanted to know where they were from. The princess also visited a Research Centre, the Telemedicine sector, and the Oncology Centre.
“This is one of the most fantastic hospitals I have ever seen. I believe that the work people are doing here is excellent, and I hope that we may develop a cooperation between Jordan and the hospital. I am certain that we can do wonderful things together,” Muna told ANBA.
The princess also said that she was enchanted with the health of Violeta Jafet, who is 102 years old. “She is amazing,” Muna said. “You are the matriarch, this is endearing,” Muna told Violeta, who claimed that her mother, Adma Jafet, was the hospital’s founder.
At the HSL, Muna was accompanied by the Jordanian ambassador to the Brazilian capital Brasília, Ramez Zaki Odeh Goussous, and the honorary consul of Jordan to São Paulo, Mustapha Abdouni, who is a director of the Arab Brazilian Chamber.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
