The directors of the seven public hospitals in the country held a press conference and protest in front of the Ministry of Finance in Jerusalem today (Wednesday) under the slogan “There will soon be no hospitals to save”, during which they stressed economic collapse due to budgetary discrimination against government hospitals. Next Wednesday, all public hospitals in Israel will move to emergency mode only and no non-urgent treatments will be provided. “I am ashamed to be the director of a hospital in Israel today. We have no money to pay suppliers.”
Protest of public hospitals (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)
Protest of public hospitals (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)The press conference was attended by the director of Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Prof. Ofer Marin, the director of Hadassah Hospital, Prof. Zeev Rothstein, the director of Laniado, Nadav Chen, the director of the English Hospital in Nazareth, Prof. Fahed Hakim, and the director of the Holy Family Hospital in Nazareth. ‘R. Ibrahim Harbji.
Director General of Hadassah Hospital Prof. Zeev Rothstein He said: “We reached a line that has not been red for a long time, we crossed it a long time ago. How can it be that the State of Israel is at war, and the soldiers at the front, crews, are sent to battle without resources. We have no ability to pay them at the end of the month. Bad”.
Rothstein added: “Hadassah is inundated with patients, as of this morning it is treating 140 Corona patients, and I have nowhere to pay salaries to my employees. I do not want to be a hospital manager who cannot pay salaries at the end of the month. This saga must stop. We are not looking for medals or “Awards, but they will give us the means to do our job. I call on the Ministries of Finance and Health, do not let us be insolvent. You have the means to do it.”
Hadassah CEO Prof. Zeev Rothstein in protest of public hospitals (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)CEO of Niado, Nadav Chen: “Public hospitals have been starving and deprived for many years. The health system sees us as a stepchild of the system, an excess of starvation that can be starved, silenced and swept under the rug. “Give us equal funding, but we did not keep our promises. We want equal funding in the balancing grants, as do the hospitals.”
“We enlisted in the war in Corona, we bought equipment and medicine, and at the height of the third wave we have nowhere to pay our suppliers, Shulmanim,” Chen added. “Our emergency inventory has dropped below the red line. If there is no change, next Wednesday we will reach the black line, we will not be able to operate on non-urgent surgeries and we will concentrate only on saving lives. We will move to work in an emergency format. Residents of Jerusalem, Netanya, Nazareth and Bnei Brak are entitled to have their hospitals receive the same budgets of Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beer Sheva. “
Laniado CEO Nadav Chen in protest of public hospitals (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)Director General of Shaare Zedek Medical Center Prof. Ofer Marin: ‘We are going to fight with great distress. I never thought I would have to talk about money and resources. Instead of caring for the sick we should come day after day begging the Ministry of Finance for budgets. We opened 2021 with the tongue out. The 7 hospitals that are here cannot finish the month. This inconceivable situation ends. On Sunday we will stand here for a protest encampment and not move until we receive resources to provide the same care to our patients. The Ministry of Finance is closed to the needs of the medical staff and patients. If the situation does not change, we will see empty beds next Wednesday. We will not carry out non-urgent activities. ‘
Shaare Zedek CEO Ofer Marin in protest of public hospitals (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)Director of the Holy Family Hospital in Nazareth Dr. Ibrahim Harbji: “We have no more revenue. The HMOs are suffocating us and the Ministry of Finance is not helping. It is impossible to wage war without ammunition. The Prime Minister, the Ministers of Finance and Health – help us, we are unable to breathe anymore.”
Director of the English Hospital in Nazareth Prof. Fahd Hakim: “The word shame is not big enough to express what is happening here. May the Minister of Finance be ashamed, you suffocated us. I am ashamed to be the director of a hospital in Israel today. I have no way to pay my antibiotic suppliers today. Everyone is aware of the situation, agrees with us, but does nothing “We just demand equality.”
““Minister of Finance Israel Katz, you have a historic opportunity to sign the collapse of 7 hospitals, or to feminize them”, Read Hakim. “Mr. Finance Minister, look us in the eye. Our employees will not be able to give care without the necessary equipment.”