Crisis in public hospitals: Finance ministry transferred NIS 100 million - strike continues

The crisis in public hospitals continues even though efforts have been made by various parties to reach agreements. The Knesset Health Committee will convene tomorrow evening to discuss the crisis. The Ministry of Finance announced that following the directive of the Minister of Finance, Avigdor Lieberman, an advance of more than NIS 100 million was transferred at the expense of the aid money promised to the public hospitals to "solve the crisis in the hospitals", although the support tests were not completed. However, with the announcement, hospital administrators were quick to respond: "Emergency work will continue indefinitely until they reach full agreements with us."
The Ministry of Finance agreed with the doctors a few months ago on a budget increase of NIS 960 million for the entire year, but has so far transferred only about two-thirds of the increase. The NIS 100 million is a down payment at the expense of the promised increase and not new aid. At present, there is no intention in the Ministry of Finance to transfer new sums to the hospitals.
Minister Lieberman stated in a briefing yesterday that it is impossible and in fact the Ministry of Finance is not allowed to transfer funds from the state budget to public hospitals, and a solution must be tried and found through assistance through the Ministry of Health.
The Ministry of Finance stated that the advance was transferred to a meeting held yesterday between the director general of the Ministry of Finance, Ram Blinkov, the Minister of Health, Nitzan Horowitz, and the director general of his ministry, Prof. Nachman Ash, and as part of the budget promised to the health system. The rest of the funds will be transferred upon completion of the support tests and as part of the progress of the schedules.
In the hospitals attacked: "The purpose of the 'salami method' of finance and health - to starve the hospitals at the height of the corona crisis. The heads of the Ministry of Finance and Health want to strangle us and not allow us to develop and plan for next year. "Nurses, or run a hospital. Emergency work will continue indefinitely until the full agreement is reached."
Meanwhile, the hospitals do not intend to recruit doctors and nurses, nurses and medical staff at this stage, despite the Prime Minister's promise that the hospitals will be given assistance. A senior official at one of the hospitals told Ynet: "We have no possibility of recruiting staff as long as we do not receive additional assistance. Giving us an advance is urgent assistance for today. And what will happen tomorrow?"
Shaare Zedek CEO Prof. Ofer Marin: "The advance proposed by the Ministry of Finance will not allow us to go through the holidays. Fill the agreement in full, without it we will not be able to return to full work."
At the height of the fourth corona wave, seven public hospitals across the country began a partial strike last night - and are working in an emergency format. The various departments, which are usually busy, are completely deserted today - and there is no audience except in urgent cases. The strike began following a protest they launched this week, alleging "non-compliance with an agreement signed in January with the health and finance ministries, and a lack of budget." Public hospitals do not receive full funding from the state, unlike government hospitals.
The seven medical centers that are on strike are Shaare Zedek and Hadassah in Jerusalem, Laniado in Netanya, Maayan Hayeshua in Bnei Brak and the three hospitals in Nazareth. They are protesting against a budget delay of more than NIS 600 million. As part of the reduction of activity, MDA ambulances will not be accepted except in life-saving cases, and non-urgent surgeries will not take place, although they were scheduled to take place yesterday and today.
The directors of these hospitals announced on Tuesday the reduction in activity as part of the strike. A letter on their behalf sent to Health Minister Horowitz and Magen David Adom reads: "Due to the non-compliance with the agreement with the public hospitals, the seven hospitals are unable to function fully and provide adequate care to patients due to lack of budgeting. We can not pay suppliers, Direct to resolving the crisis. "
"Due to the structural deficit imposed on us by the state, and due to the non-compliance with the agreement with the public hospitals, the seven hospitals are unable to function fully and give adequate treatment to patients," he added. Evictions from MDA that do not save lives and should be referred to other hospitals. "