Barkat: Appoint permanent Hadassah Medical Organization director general to prevent collapse

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat called on Deputy Health Minister Ya’acov Litzman on Sunday to name a permanent director-general for the Hadassah Medical Organization instead of Prof. Tamar Peretz, who has served as the acting director for more than a year.Only such an appointment, said the mayor, “will ensure stability and high quality management, prevent collapse and carry [the Hadassah medical centers] forward for continued success and a contribution to the city, the state and world research.”The mayor did not note that Litzman has been pushing for the appointment of Sheba Medical Center director-general Prof. Zeev Rotstein, who has earned the displeasure of Treasury and even Health Ministry officials for the way he has run Sheba, despite its ongoing profits.The High Court of Justice, meanwhile, is due to decide on Tuesday whether Litzman, of the United Torah Judaism party, must become a fullfledged health minister or whether the formal health minister, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has to take an active part in running the ministry.The ultra-Orthodox party has declined over the years to take full responsibility as part of the government, and prefers that its members serve as deputy ministers rather than as ministers.