Seven of Israel’s public hospitals, including Shaarei Tzedek and both Hadassah hospitals, stopped accepting coronavirus patients on Monday following a press conference on Sunday night, during which the hospital directors said their hospitals are collapsing and they intend to go on strike. Magen David Adom evacuated coronavirus patients to other hospitals in central Israel. On Sunday evening, the hospital directors said they will no longer accept new coronavirus patients beginning on Monday due to a lack of funds and staff, and on Wednesday they are going on strike, which means that the hospitals will operate in “Shabbos mode,” carrying out life-saving procedures only. The directors said that the government has neglected them and failed to provide them with the funding they promised several weeks ago. The seven hospitals are are Shaare Tzedek and Hadassah hospitals in Jerusalem, Mayanei HaYeshua Hospital in Bnei Brak, Laniado Hospital in Netanya, the Italian Hospital in Haifa, and the English Hospital in Natzeret. “We have been abandoned at the height of the coronavirus crisis,” a joint statement from the seven directors said. “We have reached the worst crisis in our history.” “We can longer provide services in the situation we’re currently in,” Shaarei Tzedek director Dr. Ofer Merin said. “We’re lacking the necessary medical equipment and funds to pay salaries and therefore we will stop treating coronavirus patients tomorrow and hold a strike on Wednesday. We have no choice.” Hadassah Hospital CEO Yoram Weiss pointed out that “the residents of Jerusalem, Nazareth and Bnei Brak will not have a health system.” Dr. Fahed Hakim, the director of the English Hospital in Nazareth said: “We’re letting go of our staff, the doctors, the nurses, and all health staff at the end of the month because the money’s gone…We’ve been reduced to receiving handouts from good people abroad to get through the month. This isn’t right.” Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz and Director-General Prof. Nachman Ash held talks with the hospital directors following the press conference, with Horowitz promising that the ministry will attend to the issues. However, no agreement was reached at the meeting. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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