MK Khenin attacks PM on agreement in hospital merging

MK Dov Khenin (Hadash) attacked on Monday Benjamin Netanyahu, the neo-liberal Prime Minister and the Minister of Health following the agreement to merge the struggling hospital Bikur Holim with the hospital Shaare Tzedek, saying, “The health system is crashing. We gave a little to the nurses, we gave a little to the doctors. But the coverage is small and each time it’s pulled in another direction, causing a fatal injury to healthcare workers and patients.”


In the photo Bikur Holim Hospital (Photo: Municipality of Jerusalem)


According to the agreement signed between the State and Shaare Tzedek, all of Bikur Holim’s 560 employees will be fired and only 360 will be rehired. Bikur Holim workers union chairman Dr. Effi Halperin said, “Out of 140 doctors only 66 will go on to Shaare Tzedek, if they wish. The rest, myself included, are not included in the agreement and will therefore have to look for jobs.” Bikur Holim has suffered considerable losses in the past few years prompting a court to dismantle the foundation that established it. Two months ago, its employees launched a strike after they did not receive their September paychecks.