Health crisis: Hundreds of residents to resign

          This week is set to be one of the most complicated Israeli hospitals have known. Over a month has passed since an agreement was signed between the Medical Association and the Finance Ministry – an agreement rejected by hospital residents. Consequently, from Tuesday and through to Saturday 702 residents and 32 specialists are set to once again execute their resignations and leave their positions. Around 100 residents are set to resign from each hospital. Health Ministry Director General Professor Ronni Gamzu held a press conference on Sunday to outline the ministry's preparations for the crisis. The departments that will be hit the most are orthopedics, children, surgery and gynecology, Gamzu noted. "In the State hospitals, 300 out of the estimated 440 resignations are a group resignation, nearly all from the same department – almost 50%. That is a situation which will cause major damages to the functioning of those departments." As part of the Health Ministry's preparations for the mass-resignations, a file has been opened for each hospital which includes the numbers of doctors staying in each ward after the resignations. These files will serve the special situation room set up for this week's events. With the files' help the situation room will be able to observe the workload in each hospital department in real time. Directives will then be distributed to Magen David Adom and HMOs. (19,00)