Two and a half months after the end of operation rising Lion, a decision has yet to be made on how Soroka Medical Center will be renovated after it was struck by an Iranian missile. This was revealed in a meeting of the Special Committee for Strengthening and Developing the Negev and Galilee, chaired by MK Oded Forer (Yisrael Beitenu), which was held at the hospital on Wednesday with the participation of government representatives and hospital staff.
Soroka Director Prof. Shlomi Codish emphasized the need to formulate a plan that will ensure proper medical services and medical security for the residents of the Negev in both routine and emergency situations. “This is a vital national imperative. Soroka is a symbol of governance and a national infrastructure, and I do not feel its restoration is being treated accordingly. I thank all participants in the discussion and stress that the health of the residents of the Negev is my top priority. The restoration of Soroka must be carried out according to new standards that will guarantee our readiness for any future challenge.”
Prof. Codish referred to the costs of the hospital’s renovation and the renovation of the damaged building, noting that the cost is estimated at more than NIS 1 billion. He also stated that several wards have been shut down, preventing continued treatment of patients, and pointed out the shortage of hospital beds.
Yael Feiles of the Finance Ministry‘s Budget Department presented the ministry’s position, saying: “We attach critical importance to the renovation of Soroka. There are disagreements between the Property Tax Authority and the hospital, but the process is functioning. We are willing to cooperate.” She added that discussions were being held after the hospital submitted plans about a week ago, and the ministry is now waiting for the hospital’s response to several questions that arose.
Khaled Azbarga of the Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs said, “The population here relies on the anchor that is Soroka. When it is harmed, the circles of impact expand. Lack of treatment and delays in treatment may break the residents’ trust in the hospital and in state institutions.”
MK Yasmin Fridman (Yesh Atid), a Negev resident, said “We deserve proper health services because we pay taxes like everyone else. People already die earlier in the periphery — even before the missile strike. We will not give up and we will fight for proper health services.” MKs Moshe Abutbul (Shas) and Waleed Alhwashla
(United Arab List-Ra’am) also participated in the discussion.
committee chair MK Forer summarized the debate: “The hospital provides services to over a million residents, and there is no reason they should not receive the services they deserve. In the current situation in Israel, about 3,000 people have been waiting for surgery for six months, and they will most likely receive notice of further postponement. This should keep government ministers awake at night. The hospital is national infrastructure. The ‘Building of Renewal’ must be a national project, and therefore a government decision must be made in the coming days to allocate a budget for the entire matter. I expect the government to raise NIS 1.6 billion for the residents of the Negev, like the sum that was raised for the residents of the [Gaza perimeter].”
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