Dr. Leonid Eidelman, who heads the Israel Medical Association, warned Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman that the nation’s doctors will not hesitate to launch a strike, warning him to abandon plans to move responsibility for the IMA’s Scientific Council.
The Finance Ministry is working to assume responsibility for the council which monitors and creates programs addressing specialists in their respective fields and continuing education programs. Litzman has informed Finance Minister Dr. Yuval Shteinitz that he is not opposed to the move but Eidelman reminds the health minister that the law today permits a strike and if he does not back down, that is exactly what will occur.
The last strike by the nation’s doctors occurred in 2000, lasting for 127 days.
Dr. Eidelman explains the treasury is only interested in cutting costs and in this case, such a move will negatively impact the nation’s medical system.
Treasury officials insist no budget cuts are planned, and the move is only intended towards enhancing medical care and facilitating manpower planning.
Litzman stated that from his perspective, just as teachers’ union does not decide policy for teachers, the IMA will not decide medical policy for the country.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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One Response
They should strike in order to force the Israeli courts to come under the control of the Chareidi rabbonim. Then there would be caps placed on total awards in malpractice suits, caps on lawyers’ fees, and loser pays. But, Leon Wieseltier would never, ever want to see something like that happening.