The idea of the creation of this leading institution dates back to the mid 1980’s. Cancer care in Jordan back then was disorganized and sporadically distributed between individuals. Most wealthy patients would travel abroad to receive treatment, while those with financial hardship were locally treated with scattered resources and outcomes were poor. Many people feared the disease and would refer to cancer as “THAT” disease, as the fear of mentioning the word “cancer” prevented them from uttering it.
In 1984, the idea gained acknowledgement and was initiated; soon, governmental approval was granted for the innovative project. The building was established with generous support from public charities, under the supervision of the Union of Voluntary Societies. Jordanians paid for this project with full faith that fighting cancer should not be left to the government alone since we are all affected with cancer.
In 1997, the hospital finally opened its doors. The first name for the center was “Al-Amal Center” which means “The center of hope”. With the available resources, the center took its first steps with numbers of patients increasing steadily. Shortly later, His Late Majesty King Hussein Bin Talal formed the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and a board of trustees was nominated to supervise the operations of this important institution.
On the 19th of Spetember in 2002, there was an official ceremony to change the name of the center to honor the late King Hussein, who died of cancer. The new center was thus named King Hussein Cancer Center. The new name also implied full Royal support for this project. Shortly after that, the center took another major step. Through negotiations between the Royal Court and the US National Institute of Cancer (NCI), Dr. Samir Khleif was selected to lead the transformation of the center into to a world-class comprehensive cancer center with services comparable to those in the west. Dr. Khleif proved to be a highly desirable candidate due to his credentials and personal history in the region. The center went through major phases to improve its function and broke many records along its short journey. The center first step was to guarantee the safety of its patients in the areas of bed, fire, chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. Recruiting highly qualified staff trained in the United States and Europe was another major achievement. During the second phase, the number of patients, patient services, programs and staff exponentially increased at a rapid pace. The hospital had operational committees worked day and night to build a huge inventory of policies and procedures. All were directed at delivering the highest possible level of care in a safe environment. These efforts eventually led to accreditation by the Joint Commission (JCIA) in 2006, which made KHCC the first hospital in Jordan to acquire this impressive feat.
In February of 2006, Dr.Khleif left KHCC to return to his post at the NCI. The Board of Trustees approved the recommendations of a recruiting committee that led an international search to find a successor and recommend Dr. Mahmoud Sarhan to become the new director general (D/G) and CEO of the center.. This selection was based on the credentials of Dr. Sarhan who established numerous centers and services in the region as well as his personal history as an instrumental figure in the center’s transformation. Dr. Sarhan brought stability to the center and played a major role in the accomplishment of clinical services which in turn, led to the center’s success.
In 2007, under the direction of Dr. Sarhan, the staff at the Center passed another important milestone. KHCC became the first center outside the US to have Disease Specific Accreditation which recognizes the center as a specialized center in cancer care.
Currently, the center is undergoing major construction, renovation and expansion to increase the number of beds and meet the growing demand of patients from Jordan and the region. The process of recruiting new staff and bringing stability to senior staff is ongoing. Most importantly, the KHCC research office is working hard under the direct supervision of the D/G to promote cancer research, so that the center will have its landmark on the care of cancer globally.
Mission
The mission of King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) is to provide state-of-the-art comprehensive cancer care to the people of Jordan and the Middle Eastern region. We are also working to improve access to education, training, public awareness and research in order to decrease mortality and alleviate suffering from cancer in accordance with the highest standards and quality of care.
Vision
Our vision is to transition KHCC into a leading institution in oncology care, training and research that will be a pillar in elevating health care in the region and beyond.
Goals
In accordance with the stated mission of the center, our goals and objectives are to attain and maintain:
Excellence in Clinical Care
At KHCC our primary goal is to ensure excellence in clinical care by treating the patient as a whole, focusing on his/her individual physical, emotional, social and environmental needs. Our approach is based on a team methodology.
Excellence in Cancer Education, Training and Public Awareness
We have established and continue to advance several programs and initiatives such as setting up Oncology Fellowships and Residency Programs, establishing a Medical Library that includes virtual access to the resources of the NIH, implementing several Community Outreach Programs, and developing a Hospital-Based Registry for Cancer cases in the country.
Excellence in Clinical Research
KHCC aims to become a nucleus for clinical research in the region. We will achieve this by implementing the latest treatment protocols available to us, and by developing partnerships with leading academic institutions, governments, scientists and pharmaceutical companies both locally and abroad.
Values
Access
Excellence
Teamwork
Compassion
Innovation.
King Hussein Cancer Center
Queen Rania Al Abdullah Street
P.O.Box: 1269, Amman 11941
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Telephone: + (962-6) 530-0460
Facsimile: + (962-6) 535-3001
E-Mail: info@khcc.jo