Herzog Memorial Hospital recognized the completion of its children's intensive-care unit on Tuesday afternoon. Located on the eighth floor of the new Editha and Heinz E. Samson Medical Pavilion, it was dedicated in memory of Maurice and Vivienne Wohl. “It's almost exactly 10 years since we admitted the first child to the hospital,” announced Dr. Yehezkel Caine, the hospital's director-general. As one of Israel's foremost centers for geriatric, mental and respiratory care, Herzog Hospital has struggled to cope with its lack of space for patients. And the waiting list is only growing. At the moment, the children's respiratory department is located on the third floor of Herzog. Whereas the third-floor department can tend to 25 children, the pavilion will be able to accommodate 48 children. Rooms will also be more private and include lounge chairs for parents, if they wish to spend the night. Thus, with Herzog's newest addition, more patients will receive the proper care and attention. “It's a bittersweet moment when the kids come in. But we're delighted to be opening a facility that can help them,” said Kate Goldberg, CEO of the Maurice Wohl Charitable Foundation. The framework of the building is complete, and the top two floors are expected to be functioning within the next two months. However, the building as a whole will be under construction for at least two years. Herzog is a nonprofit; the $60-million medical pavilion has not received government funding; it relies strictly on the generosity of international donors. The eight-floor medical pavilion will add 270 beds, nearly doubling the size of the hospital. Floors three through six will be home to various medical departments, and floor seven will be designated for the adult's respiratory care department. In addition, the pavilion will include an underground Sheltered Emergency Hospital, built to withstand missiles as well as chemical and biological attacks. To decrease environmental harm, the pavilion has been designed to incorporate advanced “green” technology. “When we complete the building, it'll be full,” Caine concluded. “It's the first of its kind to enable the care and support of sick children.”
