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Rothschild Foundation
donates NIS 50 million to
boost hospitals’ virus battle
Philanthropic organization says cash is to purchase respirators,
protective equipment for medical teams as well as other ‘critical needs’ to
contain coronavirus outbreak

By STUART WINER and TOI STAFF

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19 March 2020, 1:44 pm |  1 shares

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Illustrative: Workers prepare new wards for coronavirus patients at Sheba Hospital in Tel Hashomer on March 17,
2020. (Flash90)

The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation said Thursday it was donating NIS

50 million ($13.4 million) to help Israeli hospitals combat the spread of the
deadly new coronavirus which has so far infected hundreds in the country.

The funding will be used to purchase respirators, protective equipment for

medical teams “as well as to address other critical needs of the hospitals in
Israel,” the foundation said in a statement.

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 Medical workers have criticized the government and the Health Ministry
for not providing them with adequate equipment to protect against
catching the virus from the patients they are treating.

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Of the over 520 con rmed cases of the virus so far, at least 21 are medical
staff. Over 2,600 medical workers are said to be in self-quarantine due to
fears that they had been exposed to the virus which causes the COVID-19
disease.

Health of cials are also concerned that as the number of disease cases
increases hospitals could become overwhelmed and not have adequate
equipment to treat all the patients.

“We are totally committed to the massive challenge now being faced by all
humanity,” said Baroness Ariane de Rothschild, who heads the charity
foundation.

“We are also committed to providing whatever is lacking, so that they can
continue saving lives with all the essential equipment they need,”
Rothschild said.

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 The help for Israeli hospitals is a
departure from the foundation’s
primary efforts, which are normally
aimed at reducing social inequalities
by providing higher education for as
many people as possible.

Israeli Medical Association chairman

Zion Hagay reported this week that
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emergency room doctors were low on

masks, which need to be replaced
after two hours of use. In a statement
he also said that a large number of
masks and protective suits had been
stolen from hospitals across the
country.

The head of the Mirsham association Baroness Ariane de Rothschild at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem on July 6 2009. (Flash 90)
for medical interns, Rey Biton, wrote
in a statement Monday that due to the “failures” that have taken place,
“entire wards have been closed, vital medical teams have gone into
quarantine, and our most valuable resources, doctors, are going to waste.”

The Health Ministry in response to the criticism said in a statement: “We

are in constant contact with [the country’s] medical staff and are
equipping them with additional protective gear.”
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 Associated Press contributed to this report.

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 READ MORE:

·· Israel Inside
· Edmond de Rothschild Foundation
Ariane de Rothschild
·
Israeli hospitals
· coronavirus
· COVID-19

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Natalie Green
Kol Hakavod once again to the Rothschild family for helping Isreal in its time
of need
Like · Reply · 1 · 4w

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