Assuta Ashdod Public Hospital to Economics Ministry : Give hospital security 'preferred' status

During war, hospital security guards are a vital need for protection, readiness, and alertness for the possibility of terrorist infiltration and disturbances, Shai Shriki, a senior official of Assuta-Ashdod Public Hospital, told the director-general of the Economy and Industry Ministry.

But despite this, working as a security guard in a hospital is not defined as a preferred job; it’s the same as being a salesperson at a convenience store.”

Shriki, a lieutenant-colonel in the IDF reserves and Assuta’s chief of operations, asked the ministry to recognize security work in hospitals as “preferred work” with extra benefits.

Staff shortages

“In recent years, there has been great difficulty on the part of all hospitals to recruit graduates of compatible military service for security positions there.

The job requires skill in using weapons, maturity, compassion, the ability to deal with different and complex situations... and more. In addition, in recent years, we have all witnessed a significant increase in violence in hospitals towards the medical staff.”

He said he has raised this issue many times before the various decision makers, including senior officials in the Health Ministry and beyond, but, unfortunately, so far this issue has not been addressed.