The Histadrut labor federation is not pleased with the situation in Hadassah Hospital and has ordered stepped-up sanctions on Wednesday morning, 12 Adar I 5774. As such, the hospital is operating on emergency status, providing minimal service amid efforts to find a solution for the medical center’s staggering 1.3 billion NIS debt.

The decision to step up sanctions was made at a Tuesday night meeting of labor leaders in the hope the added pressure will compel the powers that be to formulate a fiscal rehab plan for the medical center.

All ambulatory services have been halted along with outpatient clinics, day admissions, elective surgeries, and only true emergency cases are being accepted. Even intensive care units have moved to minimal staffing, as is the case in internal medicine, preemie, maternity, labor and delivery, dialysis, fertility and other units. Psychiatric and geriatric units are operating on Shabbos schedules.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Professor Shlomo Mor-Yosef, a former director of Hadassah, denies allegations that the national government was unaware of Hadassah’s declining fiscal situation. Mor-Yosef today is the director-general of Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute).

He explained that back in 2008 he met with both the prime minister and finance minister, explaining the situation to them. They only provided a short term solution he explained, adding “Now that Hadassah in dying the finance minister is finally waking up”.

CLARIFICATION:

Hadassah Hospitals are not working on a “Shabbos schedule” as sanctions have been stepped up, but they are working on an “emergency status”, explaining the latter involves a skeleton staff far less than the regular number of employees present on a Shabbos. Labor officials explain the strike will not end until all employees are paid all their back salaries, and until that time, only emergency life-saving procedures will be performed.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)