CEO Prof. Hezi Levy opposed the demand of MDA public hospitals not to refer patients to them. "" This is an invalid directive, "he wrote.
Protest in the Knesset, today
Photography:
Oren Ben Hakon
Public hospitals protest: The
director general of the Ministry of Health, Prof. Hezi Levy, came out against the demand from MDA not to refer patients to these institutions from Sunday.
"The instruction you issued is invalid and does not burden the procedures of the Ministry of Health," Levy wrote in a firm letter he sent to principals today (Thursday).
"The evacuation of patients to you will continue as usual, along with continuing efforts to regulate budgetary issues."
Hospital protest, today // Photo: Yoni Rickner
He added: "I am aware of the budgetary difficulties you are experiencing. The Minister of Health and I are dealing with the issue intensively with the Ministry of Finance, but we will not be able to accept a situation in which patients are used as a tool in negotiations."
As you may recall, the public hospitals' protest began about a week ago, in light of the Ministry of Finance's refusal to hold serious negotiations to increase the budgets of those institutions and due to the severe shortage of resources.
The hospitals in question are Hadassah, Shaare Zedek, Laniado, the Springs of Salvation, the English, the French and the Holy Family.
As of yesterday they have moved to an emergency format and canceled non-urgent surgeries.
