Medical interns highlight Israel's health system problem - editorial

• Published date: 07 October 2021
• Author: JPOST EDITORIAL
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

For the past few weeks, the medical interns, residents and students have been protesting against having to work 26-hour shifts, demanding that these shifts be significantly shortened.

Saying members of the Mirsham union for medical residents had signed their resignation letters "with a shaking hand and a heavy heart," the union accused the Health Ministry of being disingenuous in its offer. The ministry, it said, would only shorten shifts from 26 to 18 hours for non-surgical professions in some hospitals, meaning that 90% of residents would continue working 26-hour shifts. Coronavirus wards, internal medicine and emergency rooms in hospitals were also not included in the proposed plan.

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"They lied to us. They deceived us. They sold us. They told us stories," the union said. "We ask forgiveness from the patients. We are sorry for the extreme step we have to take."

The union stressed that 25% to 30% of interns should be included in any plan for shortening shifts in 2022.

According to the Health Ministry plan, shifts for interns at 10 hospitals in the periphery will drop to 18 hours, with six shifts per month. Emergency and ICU interns will only have their shifts shortened in six months. The Health Ministry also insisted that a start date for the plan not be announced yet.

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz called the resignations "unnecessary," saying he was in contact with the interns and they understood that the process needed to be gradual.

"There are not enough doctors to make an immediate cut across the country," said Horowitz. "Some steps must be taken. I do not understand how such resignations will help."

The resignations go into effect in two weeks, which gives the government another two weeks to continue negotiations to reach an agreement. We urge it to do so.

Despite the announcement from Mirsham, coalition chairwoman and Knesset Health Committee chairwoman Idit Silman called the plan an "important and significant achievement," stressing that there is a long road ahead.

Silman stressed that she intends to continue working to shorten shifts for all internal medicine and emergency...