Israel Medical Association leaders are continuing their protest march to Jerusalem today, after yesterday's negotiations ended without results, “IDF Radio" (Galei Zahal) reported. The senior doctors began the day's march at Nesharim interchange led by Medical Association chairman Dr. Leonid Eidelman, who is walking in the heat even though he has been on a hunger strike for two days and is only drinking water.
This morning 150 specialists and interns left Sheba Medical Center Tel Hashomer near Tel Aviv and marched towards Bar Ilan interchange carrying stretchers and calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to intervene in the crisis. Last night an intern collapsed at Assaf Harofeh Hospital in Tsrifin near Rishon LeZion after working 20 straight hours. She received an infusion and returned to work.
In the afternoon, doctors plan to march along Road 44 from Ramle towards Jerusalem. Dr. Eidelman will meet with Ministry of Finance officials this afternoon, after which he will return to the march. Dr. Eidelman spent the night at Kibbutz Nachshon in the tent that he sets up each night.
In the meantime, outpatient clinics, institutes, and day wards in all hospitals throughout the country will be closed today. Tomorrow only urgent surgical procedures will be performed and the Medical Association leaders' march will reach Jerusalem, where a protest tent will be set up in front of the Prime Minister's residence.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 27, 2011
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