Posted on 01/28/22
| News Source: JNS
Israelis have a higher-than-average life expectancy than the majority of people living in 38 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, but far fewer doctors, nurses and available hospital beds, according to a report released this week by the intergovernmental economic organization.
The annual study, which examines the state of health in member countries from various aspects, looked at data from 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic. It was followed by a supplementary analysis provided by Israel’s Ministry of Health based on the same data.
Specifically, the rate of nurses per 1,000 people is one of the lowest in the OECD (4.7 per 1,000). Only Latvia, Greece and Mexico have fewer nurses per capita, said the report.
Similarly, the rate of doctors per thousand people is about 9% lower than the OECD average (3.3 per 1,000 people). Only 12 countries have fewer doctors per capita, it said.
Moreover, the country is not graduating enough new medical professionals to fill the void, the report highlights, with a high percentage being trained outside Israel.