Yad Sarah to receive emergency COVID aid, takes aim at Health Ministry

The Israeli volunteer organization stated the "helplessness" of the Health Ministry is why the aid is desperately needed.

SHAARE ZEDEK hospital team members assist a corona ward patient, in Jerusalem on September 23. (photo credit: NATI SHOHAT/FLASH90)
SHAARE ZEDEK hospital team members assist a corona ward patient, in Jerusalem on September 23.
(photo credit: NATI SHOHAT/FLASH90)

An emergency shipment of hundreds of oxygen tanks and respiratory equipment will arrive in Israel over the next 72 hours, Yad Sarah said.

Some 120 Yad Sarah branches will receive the emergency shipment which was given by Yad Sarah donors in Israel and the United States.

Yad Sarah, the largest volunteer organization in Israel, also stated the "helplessness" of the Health Ministry is why the aid is desperately needed.

"The Health Ministry decided to take an ostrich approach of ignoring the urgent and immediate need to supply respiratory equipment to those hospitalized at home to prevent overloads at hospitals," said Yad Sarah director-general Moshe Cohen.

"The overloading at hospitals reached its peak since the start of the fourth wave with an unprecedented number of patients hospitalized," added Cohen.

Cohen then called on Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz to have talks with Yad Sarah to resolve the issue.

Health Ministry in discussion (credit: MAZAWI ADVERTISERS)
Health Ministry in discussion (credit: MAZAWI ADVERTISERS)

There has been a severe shortage of respiratory equipment in Yad Sarah branches. The shortage forces those treated to choose between hospitalization at swamped coronavirus wards in hospitals or inadequate care at home, according to the organization.

Yad Sarah also noted its proposal of a joint campaign with the Health Ministry for controlled home hospitalization was left unanswered, with the ministry reportedly canceling all meetings with the volunteer organization.