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Within years - Less than 2.5 doctors per 1,000 citizens Photo: Getty Image bank Israel

New initiative seeks to bring Jewish doctors to Israel

Worrying projections warn Israel will suffer from shortage of physicians in near future, Nefesh B'Nefesh launches new campaign to encourage MD's from North American, UK to make aliyah

Ynetnews
Published: 01.14.08, 22:23 / Israel Jewish Scene

Nefesh B'Nefesh, the organization dedicated to revitalizing Aliyah from the US, Canada and the UK, is launching a fellowship program for MDs from North America and the UK to help solve the serious shortage of doctors projected to occur in Israel over the next few years.

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In response to figures released by the Council for Higher Education's Planning and Budgeting Committee, suggesting that in the next ten years, Israel will experience a serious shortage of doctors, Nefesh B'Nefesh announced Monday that it is teaming up with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption to bring an increased number of western doctors to Israel.

According to the report, due to a projected population increase coupled with the noticeable trend of doctors leaving the medical profession, the current ratio of 3.5 physicians for every 1,000 Israelis is predicted to plummet to less than 2.5 per thousand in the next few years.

The Physician Aliyah Fellowship is now being introduced by Nefesh B’Nefesh to encourage North American and British physicians to move to Israel by providing significant grants. The grants, in the form of an initial fellowship upon arrival in Israel, and monthly supplementary income for the first two years, total approximately $60,000.

“Nefesh B’Nefesh recognizes the seriousness of this national need and is honored to be able to leverage our existing infrastructure to strengthen the medical community here,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Nefesh B’Nefesh.

'We need to promote aliyah of doctors from around the world'

Israeli Minister of Health, Yacov Ben Yizri, stated that “we welcome this vital initiative, not only because of the importance of Aliyah, but also due to the expected shortage of doctors in Israel in the upcoming years.”

Israeli Minister of Immigrant Absorption, MK Yacov Edery noted that that “we need to continue to promote the Aliyah of doctors from around the world and to maintain the level of medicine practiced here."

Edry added that "The concerning shortage of doctors anticipated in the next few years compels the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption to join this initiative and allocate funds to ensure physicians’ successful absorption into the Israeli health system.”