Queues grow, doctors leave: who fears the health minister's portfolio?

The health minister's portfolio is not in demand in the current election campaign: only two or three parties have a working program in this area, and the current minister, Haim Katz, said he would prefer to return to the Ministry of Tourism. This comes amid high trust in the system (87%), but growing queues: an investigation revealed a 142-day wait for an orthopedist, and according to the Health Ministry, wait times have increased by 41% from 2019 to 2023. In psychiatry, half of those seeking help wait six months to a year for treatment. The rehabilitation system lacks 2,500 occupational therapists and 200 rehabilitation doctors. The nurses' union declared a labor dispute due to a shortage of over a thousand staff positions. Doctors are leaving the country. Residents of the periphery live 2-3 years less. The budget for the drug basket (650 million shekels) is insufficient, and Trump's reform could lead to higher prices and delays in new drug releases.

In the election campaign, the health minister's portfolio is not in demand: only two or three parties have a program in this area, and the current minister, Haim Katz, said he would prefer to return to the Ministry of Tourism. This comes amid high trust in the system (87% according to a CBS survey), but growing queues: an investigation by Israel Hayom revealed a 142-day wait for an orthopedist, and according to the Health Ministry, average wait times have increased by 41% from 2019 to 2023. In psychiatry, half of those seeking help wait six months to a year for treatment. The rehabilitation system lacks 2,500 occupational therapists and 200 rehabilitation doctors, and a state comptroller report pointed to the absence of a central coordinating body. The nurses' union declared a labor dispute due to a shortage of over a thousand staff positions. Doctors are leaving the country. Residents of the periphery live 2-3 years less. The budget for the drug basket (650 million shekels) is insufficient, and Trump's reform could lead to higher prices and delays in new drug releases.