Hospital chief accuses Health Ministry of publishing inaccurate data on testing

There are clashes at the Knesset committee on coronavirus after the head of the Hadassah Medical Organization accuses the Health Ministry of putting out inaccurate data on testing rates.

“Even if we can do a million tests a day — it will not help us to liberate the economy. Do not count on testing getting us out of the crisis,” says Prof. Itamar Grotto, deputy director-general of the Health Ministry.

“As of now, 103,000 tests have been carried out, a rate that’s among the highest in the world,” Grotto says.

That prompts an interruption from committee chair MK Ofer Shelah, who cites a figure of 75,000 tests provided to the lawmakers by the Knesset’s research department and asked Grotto to explain the gap.

Grotto notes there were thousands of tests that were repeat tests for previously tested individuals.

Prof. Zeev Rotstein, CEO of the Hadassah Medical Center then interjects, saying: “Health Ministry data is inaccurate, to say the least.”

Grotto pushes back: “Ah Rotstein, if you continue this way, believe me, it won’t work well. I think our data is accurate, I have 100 times more accurate data than yours so stop talking nonsense.”

He asks the committee members not to invite himself and Rotstein to speak to the committee at the same time.

“If this is a dialogue where I just listen to him then I’ll say thanks and leave,” Rotstein says.

“Decide whether you want me or Rotstein, who doesn’t even have a degree in public health,” says Grotto.