Doctors union says 2-hour ‘warning strike’ against overhaul to be held Wednesday

Israel Medical Association leadership announces a “warning strike” set for tomorrow protesting the proposed legislation to curtail judicial review of government decisions.

The strike will take place 8:30-10:30 am.

The IMA says it will do everything possible to avoid negatively impacting patients’ care.

Urgent care will not be curtailed.

The action will also include informational sessions in hospitals and other healthcare settings led by representatives of IMA member organizations on the effects of the removal of judicial reasonableness on the healthcare system, medicine, physicians, and patients.

Prof. Hagai Levine, a leader of the White Coats-Healthcare Professionals for Democracy organization and head of the Israeli Association of Public Health Physicians, states that “the cancellation of judicial reasonableness will result in lethal injury to human life, the healthcare system, the patients, the doctors, and all other healthcare staff. Therefore, the IMA must take steps. This is preventive medicine.”

“It appears that tomorrow there will be a warning strike in the healthcare system, and if the government does not stop [the legislation], we will take more serious action,” he said.

Following a Sunday meeting of the leadership of the association representing medical residents, MIRSHAM, it was announced that they are putting aside differences with the IMA to join the fight against the proposed legislation.

It was decided that the legislation would hurt the rights of the residents individually, collectively and as a professional organization, and that they would not stand by as the rights of physicians and patients are negatively impacted.