Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman announced “I am going to put Poriah [Hospital in Tiveria] on the map” during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new MRI at the northern medical facility. The event was held on Monday, 25 Menachem Av. During the ceremony, the deputy minister reminded participants that he said he will place the periphery communities high on his list, which he has done, adding he plans to add three additional operating rooms in the hospital within a year towards reducing the backlog for surgical procedures.

The hospital medical director, Dr. Erez Onn was among the many staff members taking part in the festive event which will significantly improve health care for residents of the city and surrounding area. Onn had much praise for Litzman, who he credits for the beginning of change. He stated Litzman was responsible for the hospital’s cardiac surgery unit a number of months ago, and over 40 area residents have already undergone life-saving surgeries and procedures in the past four months. Dr. On explained the significance of the MRI, citing there were no such units in all of the Golan Heights and Galil areas and now, due to the efforts of Litzman, this reality has been changed.

Litzman emphasized his commitment to improving health care, with an emphasis on outlying areas, stating he is calling on his ministry’s deputy director-general of planning and budgeting, Lior Asraf, to move ahead with the new operating rooms in the coming years, a project that carries a NIS 25 million price tag.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)