Health Ministry to crack down on rising tide of violence in health sector

The Health Ministry vowed to take a firm stance against a rising phenomenon of violence directed at healthcare professionals and staff in a Sunday statement.

"We are experiencing a complex period and a worrying rise in violence against medical teams and hospital staff,” Health Minister Uriel Busso said after having spoken to security personnel and staff affected by recent instances of violence.

“The conclusion is unequivocal - the phenomenon of violence is becoming common and significantly impacts the healthcare system and its proper functioning. We will not overlook this, we will not tolerate any form of violence, and we will continue to act relentlessly to stop this intolerable reality."

Instances of aggression on medical professionals and staff have made headlines in recent months.

In mid-January, police reported that a patient at the Saint Joseph Hospital in Jerusalem had violently attacked medical staff.

 The 37-year-old suspect, who was subsequently arrested, was reportedly dissatisfied with the care he was receiving, and so, upon becoming agitated, assaulted staff members, including a doctor.

The doctor consequently required medical attention.

Security guards assaulted at Galilee Medical Center

Additionally, this past Friday, three men assaulted security guards at the Galilee Medical Center. One of the attackers reportedly managed to take the firearm from one of the guards but was unsuccessful in discharging it.

The clash occurred after the men refused to listen to instructions issued by the guards.

In response to the apparent rising tide of violence in medical centers, the Health Ministry stated that it has taken steps, including placing police officers in hospitals and bolstering security in mental health centers. The ministry also noted that it has allocated additional resources to combatting this violence.

Further, a “desk" at the ministry has been created to manage and track all the incidents of violence. A hotline has also been opened to help people report such incidents.

Additionally, work interfaces have been created with the Justice Ministry in order to penalize perpetrators more quickly and efficiently.

The Health Ministry added, however, that it recognized that these measures alone would not be enough to curb the violence and called upon enforcement agencies and stakeholders to take resolute stands against the violence.

The ministry’s statement did not offer an explanation regarding why it was observing a marked uptick in violence.

"In these days, medical teams are working with great dedication and are on the front lines of action,” Minister Uriel Busso added. “It must be ensured that they can work in a protected and safe environment, and it is our duty to ensure this. In order to effectively and quickly deal with this phenomenon, enforcement agencies are expected to enforce the law against the perpetrators, to intensify punishment, and to safeguard the security of healthcare system employees."