Approximately 100 senior doctors and department heads from critical specialties, including surgeons, intensive care physicians, and anesthesiologists, along with around 80 nurses and additional health professionals, returned to Israel on Thursday on a special rescue flight departing from Athens.
The return of medical teams is the result of extensive efforts led by the Health Ministry's human resources and operations control centers to locate, coordinate, and bring back public health personnel, a process that the ministry had prepared for in advance. As part of this effort, earlier this week, a ZIM ship brought back medical personnel to Israel.
According to data gathered by the Health Ministry, currently, approximately 1,145 members of medical teams from various professions are abroad, including 567 doctors (out of about 35,000 doctors possessing an active Israeli medical license), 70 interns, 197 nurses, 139 health professionals, 27 administrative staff, 37 administrative personnel, and 107 other medical staff.
So far, dozens of medical personnel have returned with the help of the Health Ministry via ZIM ships, and more are expected to return as needed, based on the situation.
Chief Nurse: 'Achieving our goal relies on the professional healthcare workforce'
Dr. Shoshy Goldberg, head of the nursing department and National Chief Nurse at the Health Ministry, said that returning healthcare professionals were vital to ensure a rapid healthcare response during emergencies.
"The healthcare system's activity in Operation Roaring Lion is based on early and extensive preparation, drawing lessons from the war and recent operations. Achieving our goal - ensuring operational continuity even in extreme scenarios - relies primarily on the professional workforce of the healthcare system - doctors, nurses, and all other healthcare professionals.
"Understanding the importance of ensuring broad and rapid medical response in all hospitals, we are working to bring back the personnel currently abroad as quickly as possible - and we are grateful for their willingness to return home promptly and contribute to the effort led by the healthcare system."