Doctors: Injunctions will mean declaration of war

Number of resigning medical residents continues to climb while Labor Court mulls whether to order them back to work; specialist physicians warn that hospital system will collapse within 48 hours

Ynet reporters|Published: 10.11.11 , 11:59

Dozens of young doctors joined on Tuesday the hundreds of medical residents who already quit, and the Health Ministry anticipates many more resignations will follow. Meanwhile, the doctors are gearing for the National Labor Court decision on whether to order them back to work.

"Injunctions (on the resignations) will mean a declaration of war," one resident told Ynet. "The State cannot continue to force the doctors to work."

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While hospitals around the country deal with updating the resignation numbers and the Health Ministry is attempting to hold off a full-blown crisis; the nation's attending physicians warned that they will only be able to handle the staff shortage for 48 hours, after which the hospital system will collapse.

Kfar Saba's Meir Hospital on Tuesday (Photo: Hassan Shaalan)

Late Monday, National Labor Court President Judge Nili Arad's asked the doctors to remain in their posts and resume talks with the Treasury, but they refused. The judge is expected to rule on whether to issue injunctions against the residents on Tuesday.

More than 700 residents quit in protest of a disputed agreement with the Finance Ministry and 387 did not show up for work Monday.

According to assessments made by those present at the hearing, Judge Arad will most likely rule that the resignation of 300 residents, whose roles are defined as vital, would be gradual while she won't issue injunctions against the other residents who quit.

Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for an increase in the salaries of young doctors who confine their work to the public health system.

Health Ministry official said that 387 doctors, out of the 700 who announced their resignation, failed to show up for work on Monday. Many non-urgent surgeries were canceled and nearly all hospitals suspended the activity of their outpatient clinics.

"Desperate people with tumors and huge problems were sent home without an alternative time for surgery anxious and desperate," Sourasky Medical Center's chief of surgery Prof. Josseph Klausner said.