Jerusalem’s veteran Bikur Cholim Hospital has known hard times, but none like the present, threatening to close its doors in the coming weeks. This would result in the firing of hundreds of employees. It appears at the heart of the current crisis is the fact that the hospital’s new owner, billionaire Arkadi Gaydamak has stopped infusing funds into the hospital. Gaydamak is reported to be in Russia and he was unavailable for comment.

Officials report that Gaydamak, who recently lost a Jerusalem mayoral bid, has been trying to sell the hospital for a number of months, but he has not found a buyer. According to reports, in part of his bid to avoid imprisonment in France in connection to an illegal weapons sales case, Gaydamak is giving up his Israeli citizenship and it appears he will be divesting of interests in Israel.

According to one of the hospital’s major operators, Dudi Zilbershlag, Bikur Cholim truly faces the possibility of closing its doors. He adds that he hopes the proposed fiscal rehabilitation plan will be accepted, for if not, 1,000 people will be without jobs and a hospital that has been operating in Yerushalayim for many years will cease to exist. The hospital staff is comprised of 650 employees, with an additional 300 coming from manpower agencies.

The hospital was already in receivership when Gaydamak appeared on the scene about a year ago, buying the facility for NIS 136 million. He infused NIS 32 million for pension funds, and was putting in about NIS 2 million monthly to keep the medical facility operational.

A number of weeks ago, when the situation became grave, Zilbershlag presented Histadrut national labor federation leaders with a fiscal rehabilitation plan, which includes a 15% cut in all salaries and the dismissal of several dozen employees. The labor federation rejected the plan, calling for a revised version which does not include dismissals.

Realizing the desperate situation, hospital administration on Monday issued an across-the-board 15% salary cut for all employees earning over NIS 5,000 a month.

Those in the loop do not believe the labor federation will approve the plan. Officials at this stage believe the hospital’s closure is inevitable.

The Meuchedet Kupat Cholim HMO has made an offer of NIS 70 million for the hospital, but this too appears unlikely since experts do not believe the health ministry and other agencies will permit the healthcare provider to operate the hospital.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)