Beersheba hospital announces strike after doctor is assaulted by patient’s parents

Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba will strike tomorrow for three hours in protest of an incident yesterday in which parents attacked and threatened a doctor in the hospital over his refusal to expedite treatment for their 15-month-old son.

The doctor was injured in his face and was treated at the hospital’s emergency department. Their toddler is expected to be handed to relatives or welfare authorities.

אירוע חמור מאוד: זוג התנפלו על רופא ילדים בסורוקה בגלל שלא הסכים להקדים להם את התור. הרופא נפצע ואושפז pic.twitter.com/8U42UwjFfM

— אריאל עידן (@Arielidan20) January 16, 2023

The Israel Medical Association announces the strike, with its chairman Prof. Zion Hagay vowing to counter the “epidemic of violence in the health system” with all means available. He warns tomorrow will just be a “warning strike,” adding that “if the government doesn’t act immediately to strengthen security and expedite legislation for increasing enforcement and punishment — the whole [health] system will strike.

Earlier today, the Beersheba Magistrate’s Court extended the remand of one of the suspects, the 28-year-old father, while the 24-year-old mother was released under restrictive conditions. Police have appealed the latter decision.

The mother’s lawyer has said she is five months pregnant, suffers from complex PTSD and other illnesses and is recognized by the state as 100% handicapped.