50,000 Libyans visit Jordan for treatment

Jordanian Minister of Health Abdul Latif Wreikat Jordanian Minister of Health Abdul Latif Wreikat announced that there are five HIV positive cases amomg Libyan in Jordan. He denied, however, finding any tuberculosis cases. "The customary procedure of the World Health Organization is to send HIV patients back to their country," Wreikat said, emphasizing that the decision of sending them for treatment back in Libya has been taken since last Thursday.
Reports of AIDS and TB cases among the wounded Libyans coming to Jordan for treatment had been leaked to the media, Thursday.
The influx of Libyans to Jordan revived activity in the tourism sector, particularly medical tourism and private hospitals, leading raised occupancy rate of hotels.
This unexpected and unprepared presence of patients had a negative impact on Jordanians patients, however, as a patient needs to wait several days to find a room in a private hospital for minor surgery. Some hospitals have even stopped receiving Jordanians patient all together.
The rate of occupancy in private hospitals reached the maximum capacity of 100%, following the arrival of about 50 thousand Libyans to the country, of which 15 thousands are patients.
The Head of the Private Hospitals Association Dr. Awni Al Bashir said in a press statement that the bills of these patients, are “estimated at 40 million dinars a month," explaining that "20% of Libyan patients were wounded during the revolution.
Libyans traveled to Jordan without coordination with their government or Jordanian authorities, as they do not need a visa to enter Amman.