Professor Ofer Merin, Director General of Shaare Zedek Medical Center hosted a visit of Minister of Health Yuli Edelstein and MK Katy Sheetrit to the Jerusalem hospital today (Sunday.)
During the visit, joined by Shaare Zedek President Professor Jonathan Halevy, Professor Merin presented the hospital’s ongoing preparedness and challenges ahead of the projected increase in cases in the fall and winter months. Professor Merin further outlined the budgetary challenges facing Shaare Zedek resulting from the Corona virus and budgetary inequalities between government funded hospitals and public-private medical centers like Shaare Zedek.
The Minister and MK visited the hospital’s Corona units and met with the medical and nursing staff discussing specific obstacles involved in caring for COVID 19 patients.
Minister Edelstein said, “Our health system is working to be best prepared for the winter with the goal of being ready to confront Corona and the seasonal flu at the same time. In the coming days we’ll approve the addition of 12 more ICU beds to Shaare Zedek in addition to the 14 currently in place. I am sure that the residents of Jerusalem will receive the professional healthcare they need in dealing with what lies ahead.”