Major news for residents of the South: Following the government’s decision to strengthen the public healthcare system and expand the public hospitalization network in southern Israel, the Finance and Health Ministries are implementing another significant step towards the establishment of the new hospital in Beersheba.
On September 8, after extensive preparatory work, the ministers of Health and Finance signed permits for Sheba corporations to establish the new hospital in Beersheba, as well as a permit for the Meuhedet and Leumit health funds to form a joint venture for this purpose. These permits are essential to allow the partners building the hospital to begin the planning and construction.
The establishment of the new hospital in Beersheba is expected to significantly improve the quality of healthcare services for the residents of the Negev and the South, as well as continuing to deepen community care.
The hospital, which is expected to open by 2028, will eventually include around 600 beds and offer a range of services integrated with hospitalization and community care in the South. This government decision paves the way for the implementation of the 2014 government resolution, which first decided on the establishment of a new hospital in Beersheba.
"A historic breakthrough that will transform the healthcare system"
Beersheba Mayor Ruvik Danilovich: "This is a historic moment. The healthcare system in the Negev is set to change dramatically. The residents of the Negev deserve the highest quality healthcare, and I am glad that the struggle we have led with determination for over a decade is bearing fruit today.
"The second medical center in Beersheba will also impact employment, as it will be established adjacent to the biotech park and logistics center," he said. "For me, this is the beginning of a path that will turn the Negev into the new Israeli dream, and so it will be in transportation, employment, science, innovation, and technology, combined with a groundbreaking education system. The future is already here."
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich: "Residents of the periphery also deserve high-quality healthcare services. Today we are taking another significant step towards the establishment of the hospital in Beersheba, which we announced only recently. This step will reduce healthcare disparities and help millions of Negev residents receive fast and quality healthcare.
"After too many years of delay and visible distress, the hospital’s establishment is now on a fast and secure track," he said. "The Government of Israel is committed to the security and health of the Negev's citizens. Advancing the establishment of the hospital is an integral part of fulfilling the Zionist vision."
Health Minister Uriel Busso: "The signing of the permits for the establishment of the new and second hospital in the Negev is a significant milestone that we have reached after thorough work and discussions that lasted about a decade. Today, we are taking another step toward realizing the vision of reducing gaps between the periphery and the center, and providing equal rights to advanced and professional healthcare services to every citizen in Israel, regardless of their place of residence, community affiliation, or economic status.
"This is a historic announcement that will change the face of our healthcare system for generations to come," he said. "The unique way in which the new hospital in Beersheba will be built and operated is a just move that will improve the lives and health of the residents, and will be a significant source of employment and research in the area.
"This groundbreaking move will increase the competition and capabilities of all health funds in the field of hospitalization.," Busso said. "This is an important step in strengthening the Negev and southern Israel, a fitting Zionist response at a time when our enemies are trying to undermine our hold on our homeland, and I am very proud to be the health minister who is implementing it."
Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov: "The establishment of the hospital in Beersheba is one of the flagship issues being advanced by the ministry. It is a necessary step to ensure equality in the realization of the right to quality healthcare for residents of the periphery, similar to those in the center.
"The new hospital will complement the excellent Soroka Medical Center, completing the hospitalization network in the South, in the same way that residents of the center have several hospitals to choose from."
Finance Ministry Director-General Shlomi Heisler: "This is a significant step that will enable a dramatic leap forward in the process of establishing the new hospital in Beersheba – a development that brings great news to the residents of the South.
"The new hospital in the Negev will lead to a marked improvement in the quality and scope of medical services in the South, help reduce disparities in the quality of care between the center and the periphery, and significantly contribute to expanding community care responses."