A professional committee that will recommend ways of improving the supply of first aid, urgent pre-hospital care and medical evacuation services has been appointed by the Health Ministry.
Dr. Boaz Lev, the ministry’s associate director-general who is directly responsible for supervising Magen David Adom’s activities, named Dr. Boaz Tadmor – deputy director of the Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva – to head the four-member committee, which is due to make its recommendations within two months.
The other members are Dr.Col. Baruch Marganit of the air force, David Krause of the Israel Police and former Health Ministry and Justice Ministry adviser, lawyer Gilad Bok.
The committee was not specifically asked to recommend the establishment
of an alternative to Magen David Adom, which is the country’s official
rescue, firstaid and blood supply organization.
It was asked to harmonize the relationships among various organizations
that provide similar services and “examine all the issues in the network
of urgent medical services and evacuation in the state.” In recent
years, MDA has been in conflict with United Hatzalah, which is a totally
volunteer group that does not charge for its services; MDA is bound by
law to charge.
Independent experts told The Jerusalem Post that establishing an
organization that would totally compete with MDA would cause a major
waste of resources because of duplication but that improvements can be
made in the veteran organization.