The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) and the National Institute for Health Services Research held a special conference today (Tuesday) dealing with the perception of national security against the background of the Corona epidemic, with the participation of Director General of Health Ministry Professor Nachman Ash, former Ministry of Health Director General Moshe Bar Siman Former Gadi Eisenkot and others.
"If we had done the conference before the Corona, it would have looked different. We would have had to make an effort on the link between health as a component of national security - today that link is clear," Prof. Ash said.
"We should not only deal with extreme cases of epidemics but with routine, chronic diseases and day-to-day challenges. We have learned about the importance of prevention as a key measure of public health. .
Corona Department at Shaare Zedek Hospital, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
According to Ash, a strong community health system and strong HMOs is what allows us to use this infrastructure in unknown situations as the Corona has created.
However, he stresses that there needs to be an edge capability of intensive care - a gap that was before the corona and sharpened in the plague.
In addition, knowing fire must invest in data, research capabilities and health as a tool in our international positioning and our ability to be in some cases light to the Gentiles.
Moshe Bar Siman Tov, who served as director general of the Ministry of Health during the first wave of the Corona, said that "the current decade of the health system is going to be challenging, we will face a dramatic increase in demand for medical care - and unfortunately we do not fully understand that."
"People are having a hard time seeing the picture in the country," emphasizes a good sign, arguing that population growth is a serious challenge when it comes to the health care system.
"There is an increase of 1.6 -1.8 percent per year, we must add to this an increase in chronic morbidity, today there are more patients with chronic diseases such as pediatric diabetes, fatty liver and hypertension at young ages - and this raises the rate. At the same time there is an increase in life expectancy And now it's a huge challenge. "
According to Bar-Siman-Tov, "In the health system, we need to run the fastest to stay put and we are not satisfied with the existing quality, but need to improve it."
A good sign bar emphasizes that in order for systems to work well in an emergency they need to work routinely.
"What is needed is resilience to absorb the blow, stay strong and get back to routine."
Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Photo: Shmuel Adler
"Hungry system"
Former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot said: "Health should be integrated into the country's concept of national security. Beyond that, the national system must be organized to deal with the entire map of threats against Israelis, including an unconventional threat, an army threat, a threat of national disaster and more. Beyond that health should be seen as a lever for regional influence. Today, despite the many threats, the component of regional influence, health, energy, water desalination and agriculture helps the way Israel integrates into the space and achieves a good impact in the space and forging alliances. "
Former Bank of Israel Governor Professor Karnit Flug said that "Israel is the top doctor over the age of 55 but the system is starving. Health system resources are low compared internationally, and investment in the system needs to be updated both because of price increases and because of population aging."
According to Flug, the health tax should be raised.
"You are talking about a half percent increase and that is not enough. We did a survey at the time and saw that half the population is willing to pay more taxes for public health services."
Dr. Dorit Nitzan of the World Health Organization said: "I travel the world and unfortunately the plague has undermined the personal security and national security of countries that were not ready.
There is growing poverty, violence, migrant movement, border closures and severe damage.
"On the other hand, countries that were prepared for the epidemic succeeded it relatively well."
According to her, the National Health Organization has prepared a plan that will help maintain stability, prevent harm to the psyche and society and prevent the undermining of the regimes currently seen in the world.
"Medicine is at the core of world and national security and every country deserves to prepare for such events otherwise the damage will be very severe," Nitzan concluded.
