In a landmark achievement, the One Israel Fund's 30th Anniversary Gala raised a transformative $10 million to complete the first-ever medical complex in Israel's Binyamin region in Judea and Samaria, including an emergency and trauma center. This monumental event, held in New York, featured keynote participation from former Gov. Mike Huckabee, now ambassador-designate to Israel, alongside leadership from the Binyamin Council and prominent donors.

The funds raised mark a critical step in realizing Binyamin Regional Council Head Israel Ganz's long-held vision to bring lifesaving medical care closer to home for the over 100,000 residents of Binyamin and surrounding areas. This vision was born from tragedy. In 2016, Malachi Rosenfeld, a promising young athlete, was fatally wounded in a terror attack near his home. Despite the best efforts of responders, he succumbed to his injuries during a lengthy transport to Jerusalem for treatment. Similarly, IDF soldier Yanai Weissman, who heroically intervened during a stabbing attack at a supermarket, also lost his life in 2015 due to the absence of nearby emergency care.

These tragedies echo the plight of many in the region. Ganz shared that two more lives were recently lost while en route to distant hospitals for urgent care – another stark reminder of the critical need for local emergency services. "Eight years ago, I vowed we would never endure such tragedies again," Ganz, who personally accompanied Weissman during his final journey, said. "Thanks to the vision and leadership of the One Israel Fund and the generosity of our partners, this dream is becoming a reality. Together, we are saving lives and strengthening the future of Judea and Samaria."

A highlight of the evening came when John and Nina Nanasi announced their extraordinary contribution, sharing their inspiration: "Our visit to Binyamin moved us deeply. This is the heartland of the Jewish people, and it is an honor to partner in a project that will provide essential medical care to so many." In recognition of their pivotal role, the new medical center will bear the Nanasi family name.

The Nanasi Medical Center in Sha'ar Binyamin will serve as a state-of-the-art facility offering a wide range of medical services under one roof, including emergency medicine, urgent care, advanced imaging, dialysis treatments, ophthalmology, orthopedics, specialist care, and medical laboratory. When fully operational, the center will also include a dialysis unit, imaging center (CT and MRI), gastroenterology institute, dermatology department, recovery rooms, women's health center, pharmacy, pulmonary institute, allergy clinic, orthopedics department, X-ray facilities, and health insurance offices.

Scott M. Feltman, Executive Vice President of One Israel Fund, remarked: "For 30 years, One Israel Fund has dedicated itself to addressing the critical needs of the residents of Judea and Samaria, ensuring that these communities not only survive but thrive. The Nanasi Medical Center is a shining example of what we can achieve when we unite to support the heartland of Israel. John and Nina Nanasi's generosity will forever leave a legacy of saving lives in Binyamin."

Since its inception, One Israel Fund has worked closely with the Binyamin Development Fund and other partners to secure funding for this critical initiative. Former Gov. Huckabee underscored the project's importance in his keynote address, reaffirming his unwavering support for Judea and Samaria and the vital role of such infrastructure in safeguarding the region's future.

Eliana Passentin, Director of Binyamin's Foreign Desk, added: "The collaboration between the Binyamin Council and the One Israel Fund exemplifies the unity and determination of Israel's supporters. Together, we are building a brighter and more secure future for the residents of Binyamin and beyond."

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Tamar Levi was in the 35th week of her pregnancy and had an ultrasound appointment. But what was supposed to be a routine test turned into an emergency caesarian section followed by an immediate operation on the newborn.

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The ultrasound showed an abnormality in the abdominal cavity and after consulting with her gynecologist, Levi was rushed to the Hadassah Medical Center.

"It was very stressful," she said, describing the event. "My mother was with me and we couldn't understand what was going on."

Further examination at the hospital showed that the fetus was in danger due to having cysts in both ovaries and possibly due to double ovarian torsion, which is when the ovaries twist on the tissues that support them. The doctor stressed that the fetus was in danger of developing problems with fertility or losing her ovaries altogether.

Unless treated, the loss of ovaries would lead to the fetus not being able to conceive in the future from her own eggs, requiring either an egg donation or hormone replacement therapy.

"A double ovarian torsion is extremely rare and has only been described in medical literature several times, but never in fetuses," Dr. Shay Porat, maternal and fetal medicine specialist at Hadassah, said. "In the examination performed on the fetus, we could clearly see that there was blood flow to her ovaries, but the flow was slow. I knew that we had to act quickly so as not to lose the ovaries. After consultation, it was decided to induce birth for Tamar and perform emergency surgery on the baby."

Levi later described the event, saying, "The stress was huge. I prayed that it would not be too late, these were very stressful moments, but Dr. Porat did everything pleasantly and made me feel that everything was under control. It happened so quickly, everyone made an effort and acted quickly to save my daughter's ovaries. Within minutes of the diagnosis, I entered for an emergency cesarean section, and immediately after that the baby was taken for surgery, and thank God everything went smoothly. I thank everyone who took care of me."

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was discharged from the hospital Monday morning after undergoing a procedure for the implantation of a cardiac pacemaker.

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The surgery was performed overnight Saturday at Sheba Tel Hashomer Medical Center in Ramat Gan.

His release comes ahead of the final votes in the Knesset on Monday to pass into law an amendment to Basic Law: The Judiciary limiting the Supreme Court's use of the so-called reasonableness standard. Netanyahu was expected to arrive in the plenum hall for the final readings, to take place in the afternoon.

Video: Netanyahu was discharged Monday morning.

Netanyahu on Sunday postponed scheduled trips this week to Cyprus and Turkey. He was scheduled to visit Cyprus on July 25 and return to Israel the next day, before heading to Turkey on July 28. It was to have been the first visit to Ankara by an Israeli premier since 2008.

The 73-year-old Netanyahu was hospitalized overnight exactly a week ago after briefly losing consciousness in his private home in Caesarea.

After he was discharged, the hospital released a statement indicating that "at no point was any heart rhythm disorder diagnosed." However, as a matter of routine, doctors decided to implant a subcutaneous Holter device to allow his medical team to continue regular monitoring.

The device, also known as a cardiac event recorder, is implanted under the skin of the chest or shoulder. They are commonly used if a patient experiences an unexplained stroke, fainting or irregular heartbeat. This week, the recorder "had an alert," said professors Roy Beinart and Eyal Nof in a video shared by Sheba Medical Center on Sunday, adding that the prime minister likely suffered a transient heart block.

"Yesterday night we received the data from this monitor that suggests [a] transient atrioventricular block, and this was an indication for urgent pacemaker implantation… During the night we implanted a pacemaker, all went well. The prime minister is doing very well this morning," explained the doctors.

Netanyahu reiterated on Sunday that he felt fine, saying, "I would like to thank the many of you who have asked how I am doing. I am doing great. Tomorrow morning I will join my colleagues in the Knesset."

 Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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Adriana dreamed of giving birth naturally and could not imagine even in her worst nightmares that she would be pressured to take painkillers and induce labor. Bat Ami was recovering after giving birth to a baby girl when the nurse made her get up from the bed only to check out her back tattoo. Ariel was in agony when her obstetrician firmly pressed on her stomach – without prior warning – to get the baby out, using a maneuver considered outdated and highly controversial. Tal was told that unless she agreed to a C-section, she "was killing her baby." 

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Israel Hayom has spoken to dozens of women in recent weeks who had given birth and felt that their rights, especially those of bodily integrity and autonomy, were violated by the medical staff. 

A milestone as important as giving birth, which was supposed to have been intimate, profound, and exciting, turned horrific when doctors and nurses reportedly violated the patients' privacy, performing procedures without consulting them or asking their permission. 

"It felt like they took responsibility for your body, and you no longer had control over it," Bat Ami, who has gone through three difficult births in recent years, said. 

For Reut, who gave birth two years ago, the trauma is still present. 

Labor is when "I am in my most intimate state, and they take away my strength, control, and faith. They kept saying, 'The most important thing is that the baby comes out healthy,' which makes you think it's okay that they performed a procedure on you without asking first, and that maybe it's okay that the obstetrician pushed hard on your stomach to get the baby out, a procedure that is now not allowed to be performed in any hospital."

Reut was referring to the Kristeller maneuver, named after German gynecologist Samuel Kristeller, which was developed in the late 19th century and involves applying pressure to the uppermost part of the uterus directed towards the birth canal, in an attempt to assist spontaneous vaginal birth. A highly debated technique, it is considered dangerous due to the risk of broken bones, organ damage, and other painful health problems. 

"But it is terrible, terrible," Reut continued. "And that is why I have decided to share what I went through. So that no other woman has to go through what I went through." 

"Why did you have to give birth tonight?"

The women often said they felt "helpless" during labor, and that their original plan – to give birth at the hospital naturally – went awry when against their will, they either had to have induced labor or even surgery. 

Reut, for instance, planned to give birth naturally and chose a hospital near Tel Aviv, because she was told the staff actually listened to the mother-to-be. 

"In reality, it turned out to be the exact opposite," she lamented. It took me some time to arrive at the hospital, "and the moment I walked in, they scolded me for not having arrived earlier. They took me to the delivery room, and the midwives were really sweet. In the evening, I began to have strong contractions, and for hours I was with an open uterus, which signals readiness for giving birth [naturally,] but the doctor began to pressure me to induce labor.

"He would enter the delivery room every few minutes, saying that the monitor showed that the fetal heart rate was dropping, which signaled possible danger. But the midwife had told me that everything was fine and that the fetus was not in danger and that the heart rate had dropped only because of the contractions. 

"Then all of a sudden, during a contraction, while the nurse was supporting me, he told her to stop and told me, 'Listen to me now, you are endangering the fetus, and you need to give birth now – vacuum or surgery.' I told him I didn't want to, that I felt that I could give birth naturally.

"The midwife told him that she could already see the baby's head, that I could give birth naturally, but he approached me, pressed on my ribs in an effort to expedite the process [through the Kristeller maneuver]. I screamed in agony and told him he was hurting me. In hindsight, I don't understand how I allowed him to do this to me, but he did. When I screamed in pain, he took a step back and said to stop everything. He decided to perform a vacuum extraction. 'It's your decision, but my responsibility and you are about to kill your baby,'" he said. 

"I didn't want to oppose the doctor, because he surely knew what was best. But I feel that everything could have gone differently. The doctor might be walking around thinking he saved my life and the life of my baby, but for me, it was a very difficult experience." 

Adriana chose to give birth to her son at a hospital far from home because she too was told that the medical team listened to the patient, and even encouraged natural birth. 

But when she arrived, already in active birth, with contractions and an open cervix, she felt she was giving birth under pressure to follow medical protocols, which included taking painkillers, contrary to earlier promises, and the doctors and nurses being inattentive to her needs and requests. 

"My pregnancy went well and I dreamed of giving birth naturally without any intervention. When I first visited the hospital, it sounded to me like the staff would be really attentive to my needs. But when I got there, at 41 weeks and 3 days, I realized that I had been deceived."

According to Adriana, from the moment she arrived, she was pressured to take epidural or laughing gas to help with the pain. "

"When I told the obstetrician I didn't want to, she shouted at me, 'You will do as we say.' I was shocked. I got up, while having contractions, and asked her why she was talking to me like that. In response, she sat me back down. I realized there was nothing I could do, and it was a very difficult feeling. I arrived at the hospital feeling well, and I thought I would have the birth of my dreams, but got to a point where I felt helpless. I was pressured to get epidural or painkillers, and no matter how much I explained that I wanted a natural birth, the staff kept pressuring me.

"At some point, the birth stalled, and when the senior doctor walked in and saw that there was no progress, he said, 'Why did you have to give birth tonight?' I will never forget that sentence. He didn't say 'Hello,' nothing. 'Why did you have to give birth tonight?'

"I felt they wanted to hurry the process along. Some women spend 20 hours in labor, and I was actually further along, but then the monitor showed a slowing heartbeat. I was having contractions, in pain, begging to be allowed to focus on the process, but after countless doctors came and went trying to pressure me into agreeing, I gave in. 

"The staff pressured me to have a C-section and even told my husband that if I didn't, I would be 'killing the baby.'" 

Adriana was put on full anesthesia, but it did not fully take, and she continued to experience the birth and even heard her baby cry upon exit. 

"What happened next amazed me. I was still unconscious, and they [the staff] approached my husband, telling him that the baby was not breathing and that a ventilator was needed – as if they were trying to make up an excuse to legitimize the surgery. 

"My husband was very angry with me at the time, but later, when I requested the birth procedure documents like any mother is eligible to do, I saw written in black and white that the baby did indeed cry when he was born.

"They also kept my baby away for a long time and vaccinated him without my permission. When he was in my arms, finally, they again rushed to take him away for tests. I ended up signing for an early release."

Adriana is now suing the hospital for alleged emotional distress. 

"I want to bring about a change so that no other woman has to go through this. Women who are giving birth must stand up for their rights," she said. "I felt helpless during the process, and after a lot of pressure, agreed to everything. They didn't let me focus on the birth, and half my energy went to dealing with the staff. It was a very difficult experience."

(phot here)

In March, the Birth Freedom Israel organization published a report on the treatment of women in delivery rooms, alleging humiliating behavior and rights violations. 

The NGO analyzed the calls of 609 women to its helpline, which did not reflect how widespread the phenomena could be, but did point to cases of mistreatment. 

According to figures, 70% of the women said they were verbally abused, and 64% said their right to informed consent was violated. Over half (55%) said the medical staff communicated with them poorly, and almost a third (32%) said they were abused. 

In addition, 29% said they felt they were neglected and the doctors did not give them the necessary attention, and 16% felt their privacy was violated. 

On average, every woman who called the hotline reported 4.4 abuses. 

Moreover, in March 2022, Birth Freedom Israel conducted an online survey, in which 1,700 women who had given birth participated, that showed that over half (58%) felt that someone else made the decisions pertaining to their birth. Some 68% said their privacy was not respected, 32% said they were verbally abused by the staff, 26% said they were abused by the staff, and 13% said procedures were performed without their consent. 

"The solution is to raise awareness among the women and the medical teams of the rights of the mother, and to create a fundamental change in the public and personal discourse regarding childbirth," Director of Birth Freedom Israel Hayuta Goren said, which is why the organization holds training workshops across Israeli hospitals on the subject. 

As some of the trauma sustained during labor is not of physical nature, some new mothers are left with a sense of violation that is unlikely to hold up in court. 

"Oftentimes there's no point in filing a complaint or a lawsuit like that," attorney Dganit Sommerfeld explained. "Contary to medical negligence lawsuits, where you might prove that damage was caused, with mistreatment during labor it is difficult to prove that a tangible injury was caused. 

"When the mother returns to work [after a three-month maternity leave] and leads a more or less normal lifestyle, despite the trauma, she cannot request financial compensation and prove that as a result of the birth she suffered future wage losses. The legal premise in such cases is that the mother gave informed consent, and if and when the doctor performs an operation on her without informing her – there was probably a medical justification for it."

To remedy the situation, MKs Michal Shir (Yesh Atid) and Keti Shitrit (Likud) submitted a bill that would ensure a fair economic mechanism for both those that give birth in hospitals as well as at home and in private institutions. 

"As of now, women who give birth in private centers or at home, do not get a maternity grant, and the financial aspect might affect someone's decision in terms of location," Sommerfeld said.

In response to an inquiry by Israel Hayom on the matter, the Health Ministry said that it "expected all medical teams to treat patients with professionalism and sensitivity.

As such, the Health Ministry's Health's National Council for Women's Health adopted a gynecological examination convention – recommendations that are also relevant to mothers, as published by the Israel Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology last year. The convention established rules of respectful, sensitive, and considerate behavior toward the women being examined and improving the communication with them, it said. 

The convention also stated that the patient must be given a preliminary explanation of her rights and procedures, receive her consent, provide warning and reassurance before painful operations, explain test results, and more. 

In addition, it includes a variety of ways to implement the improvement of communication between patients and medical teams in many settings, including medical faculties and different stages of specialization. This is through training, dedicated studies, control, and more. Every complaint that is received in the office is handled upon receiving, the statement said. 

The Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center said, "We make every effort to involve each patient in the decision-making, transparently and sensitively, while providing an explanation throughout all stages of the birth. We will make it clear that in Ariel's case, no Kristeller maneuver was used during the birth, and all operations were performed as usual. However, we regret her personal experience, And we took these things to heart."

The Shamir Medical Center said, "According to the records in our possession, this is a patient who received detailed explanations throughout the birth procedure, which was accompanied by her overwhelming opposition to any medical activity necessary to save the fetus and care for its well-being. Only towards the end of the birth did the patient agree to the intervention … when there was no other choice left. We regret that this is her personal feeling, but from our inspection, the conduct of the staff was flawless and enabled a successful birth. We wish health to the mother and her daughter. We emphasize that the medical center strongly condemns violence of any kind toward the patients and/or the staff."

The Soroka Medical Center said, "We are sorry for the feelings described by the woman, take them seriously and check every request that is received. At every moment and in every situation, the safety of the mother and the safety of the fetus is at the forefront of the team's attention, which will respond to her requests if they do not endanger her safety. The team does everything in its power to provide personalized treatment to each mother, to explain and update at every stage, and provides professional medical care according to her medical condition, to enable a meaningful and positive birth experience."

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The Hadassah Medical Center said, "The case described in the article, which happened a decade ago, is not in line with the spirit of service and care in Hadassah, which sanctifies the dignity of the human being in all forms. Therefore, we are very sorry for the feelings described by the mother. The team of the women's medicine system at Hadassah, like the teams of the other departments, recognizes the right of women to make an independent and personal decision regarding any procedure, including during childbirth, and even encourages it while maintaining a high sensitivity and consideration of the medical staff.

"Furthermore, the midwives in Hadassah have a variety of choices regarding the course of the birth, pain relief, processing the birth experience, and even early and long preparation for those who are dealing with stress or anxiety. As part of that same sensitivity, Hadassah also operates a dedicated clinic for women who are about to give birth, and who have experienced difficulties throughout their lives, such as sexual abuse or difficult emotional distress, where you can receive significant emotional support in preparation for childbirth."

The Sheba Medical Center, said, "We see great importance in providing an empowering and safe birth experience to the mother and the newborn. At Sheba, there are delivery rooms equipped with innovative technologies, to enable a unique and pleasant birth experience through the use of multimedia, mindfulness, and more. We make every effort to allow the mother to give birth in the way she chooses, with as few interventions as possible and depending on the medical condition, when maintaining the safety of the mother and the newborn is before our eyes first and foremost. This was also the case in this case."

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Czech President Milos Zeman is undergoing treatment that will require time, his wife Ivana Zemanova told reporters on Thursday, but gave no details about his diagnosis or condition.

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Zeman, 77, was taken into an intensive care unit at a Prague hospital on Sunday, a day after a parliamentary election which will eventually require him to appoint a new prime minister.

"I can only confirm that he is undergoing treatment that requires time," Zemanova told reporters in a briefing at the Prague Castle, where no questions were allowed. "I am asking you for patience and the necessary time for him to gather strength."

Zeman's condition has been the subject of wide speculation in the media amid a lack of detailed information from his office or doctors. He had previously been in hospital for eight days ending Sept. 22.

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A week into Israel's coronavirus vaccination campaign and hours before a third nationwide lockdown is due to take effect, the third wave of the virus is still sweeping over the country.

The Health Ministry reported Sunday that the 64,662 COVID tests administered in the last 24 hours yielded 2,630 positive results, or 4.1% of the tests processed.

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There were 35,525 active or symptomatic COVID patients in Israel as of Sunday, 1,054 of whom were being treated in hospitals.

Of the hospitalized patients, 160 were listed in critical condition and another 584 were listed in seriously condition. There were 133 patients on ventilators and another 178 hospitalized patients listed in moderate condition.

There were 2,861 medical workers in quarantine, including 411 doctors and 768 nurses.

The death toll from COVID in Israel stood at 3,210.

On Friday, Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer reported that hundreds of Holocaust survivors had arrived to be vaccinated without appointments after an organization that coordinates medical care for survivors reached out to Sheba.

Sheba staff also vaccinated survivors' caregivers to reduce the risk of exposing the elderly to the virus.

Director of Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv and former coronavirus coordinator Professor Ronni Gamzu said that his hospital was providing thousands of vaccinations a day and had free slots open.

"I invite people age 60 and over to make an appointment and be vaccinated here," Gamzu said.

Wolfson Medical Center in Holon has coordinated with municipal authorities to administer vaccinations around the clock from Monday to Wednesday this week. Holon residents age 70 and over can make appointments starting Sunday.

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One of Israel's largest hospitals, the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, is reportedly in negotiations with medical organizations in the United Arab Emirates to discuss the setting up of a branch of the hospital in Dubai.

The idea reportedly grew out from a visit that Hadassah Medical Organization director-general Prof. Zeev Rotstein made to Dubai as part of an official Israeli delegation that met with Emirati government ministers.

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"I'm thrilled that the name of Hadassah has reached the UAE and that they want to bring Hadassah to them," said Rotstein. "I could never even have dreamed of such a thing and I pinch myself to check that it is real. They want to take Hadassah, build new homes, a series of buildings, and new equipment for our staff in Dubai."

Rotstein added that the talks are in a preliminary stage with many issues still needing to be ironed out, and said that even a concrete proposal has yet to see the light of day.

It is thought that Dubai would want to relocate 1,000 Hadassah doctors and nurses to the emirate, along with their families. Any staff that would be prepared to move would likely request generous remuneration and other conditions.

"They are offering staff amazing terms, homes, jobs, for their partners and children, free education and full healthcare.," Rotstein maintained. "They have unlimited money. We asked that they also help here in Israel but it's not certain that that's what's in mind."

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Hadassah's director-general said that talk of opening a branch in Dubai was not a bargaining chip in negotiations with the Finance Ministry. He maintained that the ministry would have to decide whether "it is interested in the continued existence of Hadassah as a leading hospital in Israel, or not."

This article was first published by i24NEWS.

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The number of confirmed carriers identified since the start of the coronavirus epidemic in Israel stood at 103,274 on Monday, after passing the 100,000-mark this past weekend. As of Monday morning, there were 21,914 active or symptomatic cases identified in Israel after tests conducted between midnight Saturday and midnight Sunday confirmed 962 new cases.

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A total of 877 COVID patients were hospitalized nationwide, of whom 411 were listed in serious condition, including 116 patients on ventilators. Another 200 hospitalized patients were listed in moderate condition.

The dedicated COVID treatment units at Poria Hospital, Laniado Hospital, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, and Hadassah Ein Karem Medical Center were at capacity on Monday, and a total of 1,756 doctors, nurses, and members of other medical professions were in quarantine.

The death toll from coronavirus has reached 839 since the start of the epidemic. Approximately 40% of the total deaths from the virus occurred between July 31 and Aug. 24, well into the second wave.

Meanwhile, former Health Minister Yakov Litzman tore into Professor Ronni Gamzu, the coordinator for Israel's efforts to battle the spread of the virus, on Sunday over Gamzu's objection to allowing Hassidic Jews to travel to Uman in Ukraine to pray at the grave of Rabbi Nahman of Uman, a traditional High Holiday event.

Litzman, who is now serving as housing and construction minister, told reporters that Gamzu should resign because of the various measures he was taking to prevent flights leaving Israel for Uman. Gamzu has even reached out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the matter.

Earlier Sunday, Litzman claimed that Gamzu had overstepped the bounds of his authority by contacting Zelensky and called it a "slap in the face to the many Breslov Hassidim who travel to Uman every year."

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Private hospitals, the engine of the health system, warn they may have to shut down. Chronically underfunded public hospitals, which have led the fight against the virus, fear they will be overrun.

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Across the country, hospitals and doctors are reporting shortages in vital medical supplies such as anesthesia drugs and sutures. With power cuts that run through most of the day, they pour money into fuel for generators, and many are turning away non-critical cases to conserve resources.

"The situation is really catastrophic, and we expect a total collapse if the government doesn't come up with a rescue plan," said Selim Abi Saleh, the head of the Physicians Union in northern Lebanon, one of the country's poorest and most populated regions.

One of the country's oldest and most prestigious university hospitals, the American University Medical Center, laid off hundreds of its staff last week citing the "disastrous" state of the economy and causing uproar and concern.

Medical facilities have let go of nurses and reduced salaries, their finances running dry in part because they can't collect millions owed to them by the state. Nearly a third of Lebanon's 15,000 physicians aim to migrate or already have, a doctors' union official said, based on the number who have sought union documents they can use abroad to prove their credentials.

So far Lebanon has kept a handle on its pandemic outbreak, through strong lockdowns, aggressive testing, and a quick response, largely by public hospitals. The country has reported fewer than 3,000 infections and 41 deaths.

But with cases rising, many in the field fear the health sector can't hold up under a surge and a financial crisis worsening every day.

Lebanon's liquidity crunch has crippled the government's ability to provide fuel, electricity, and basic services. The shortage of dollars is gutting imports, including medical supplies and drugs.

Prices have spiraled, unemployment is above 30% and nearly half the population of 5 million now live in poverty.

Private hospitals, which make up around 85% of the country's facilities, emerged dominant after the country's brutal 15-year civil war to become the pride of Lebanon's system, drawing patients from around the region with specialized services and advanced surgeries.

But the entire health sector, like much of the country, has also run on political jockeying and patronage in Lebanon's sectarian system. Medical practitioners say politics determine how much payment from the state private hospitals receive while public facilities remain understaffed.

The insurance system, with multiple health funds, is chaotic, making collection difficult and coverage patchy. For years, state insurance funds failed to reimburse hospitals. Private hospitals say they are owed $1.3 billion, some of it dating back to 2011.

"We can't fight COVID and at the same time keep looking behind our backs to see whether I have enough financial and material resources," said Firas Abiad, director general of Rafik Hariri University Hospital, the public hospital leading the coronavirus fight.

Abiad, who has won praise for his transparency in handling the pandemic, is getting by with stop-gap measures. When he raised alarm this month that the hospital was running out of fuel, a rush of private donations flowed in. The government pledged to provide fuel for public facilities.

"I doubt anybody has any long-term strategy," Abiad said. "We are doing it one fight at a time, and we are surviving one day at a time."

Financing must be priority, he said. "Generators can't run on empty, without fuel. Hospitals can't run without financing."

Minister of Health Hamad Hassan told The Associated Press Monday he was counting on government support to keep hospitals as a "red line." But he urged hospitals to do their part to push through the crisis.

"Hospitals have invested in this sector for 40 years. Whoever has invested that long should have the courage to invest for six months or a year to help his people and not give up on them," he said.

Private hospitals' struggles are compounded by a banking sector crisis that has locked down foreign currency accounts and complicated imports and the issuing of letters of credit.

In the northern village of Majdalaiya, the state-of-the art, 100-bed Family Medical Center hospital stood nearly empty last week. Its owner, oncologist Kayssar Mawad, said he had to shut down one of the five floors to save costs.

Mawad has had to refuse patients with state insurance. The government already owes him millions of dollars, he said.

"It has to be a life or death situation," Mawad said. "This is not sustainable."

He said in recent weeks, he admitted 20 patients at most, while treating others as outpatients to save costs. His facility is prepared to deal with COVID-19 patients but he said it won't because it is too expensive.

"We don't want to get to a Venezuela-scenario where we diagnose the patient but ask them to bring their own medicine, food, and sheets," he said. "I hope we don't get there."

There was only one baby in the hospital's 13-bed neonatal unit. On the adults' floor, there were three patients.

One of them, an 83-year-old man recovering from arterial surgery, had to pay out of pocket because his private insurance won't cover the room or the stent. If a brother hadn't come from Germany to cover the costs, "he would have died," said his daughter, Mayada Qaddour.

The 32 public hospitals won't be able to fill the place of private hospitals threatened with closure, said Ahmad Moghrabi, chairman of Orange Nassau, Lebanon's only government-run maternity hospital.

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Moghrabi, now in his 70s, rebuilt the hospital in the northern city of Tripoli from scratch since he took it over in 2003, almost totally through foreign donations. Still, it relies on state funds and insurance payments – both minimal – so it has never been able to operate at full capacity of 5,000 births a year.

Now desperately short of funds and fuel, the hospital has to juggle priorities. It suspended its neonatal unit to keep life-saving dialysis running.

"In 2020, (a hospital) can't do without a neonatal unit," Moghrabi said. "With the current circumstances in Lebanon, we are going back to the 1960s, even further."

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Cerebral catheterization is one of the most advanced treatments to treat a stroke and can reduce the risk to patients. Residents of the north currently have no access to cerebral catheterization units other than the one at the Rambam Healthcare Campus in Haifa and at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, putting at risk some of the 800,000 residents in the Galilee, Golan Heights, and Jezreel Valley.

Brain catheterization is administered about 6-8 hours after a stroke.

Dr. Erez Onn, the director of the Padeh-Poriya Medical Center said the new access to this technology means that more lives will be saved.

"Establishing the service will provide immediate treatment for stroke victims in need of brain catheterization, and will prevent the precious loss of time that occurs when they are transferred to a remote center," Onn said.

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