Captain Strickland asked the Colonial Secretary in the House whether he is aware that inhabitants of Tel Aviv in need of hospital treatment must in many cases be transferred to hospitals in other parts of the country because of lack of available beds in the Municipal Hospital; and whether he is yet in a position to state it the government has decided to accede to the request of the municipal authorities of Tel Aviv to be permitted to provide the necessary additional and improved accommodation.
Sir Philip Cunliffe-Lister replied:
“I am not in a position to confirm the statement contained in the first part of the question. I have communicated with the High Commissioner for Palestine but I have not yet received information as to the intentions of the government regarding the proposal of the Tel Aviv municipality for financing the enlargement and improvement of the Municipal Hospital. I should add that during last year, this hospital, to the cost of which the government contributes, was enlarged from 125 to 184 beds.”
Captain Strickland then asked if the Colonial Secretary was aware that at present beds are being put up in the corridors of this hospital, and that patients have to be sent elsewhere because there is not room in this hospital. He asked if he would urge on the High Commissioner the need for dealing with this matter with some expedition.
Sir Philip replied: “Certainly. I am forwarding the suggestion and statement to the High Commissioner. I am sure we can rely on the High Commissioner to give all due weight to all relative considerations.”
Mr. Janner asked whether the Colonial Secretary will point out that in his opinion it is not correct to say that there should be no provisions for maternity cases and that it is not correct that there should be only two beds for every one thousand of the population, and that 184 for the population of 124,000 is wholly inadequate.
Sir Philip said: “It would be very unwise for me to forward exparte statements to the High Comsioner, who as the House knows, missioner, who as the House knows, gives most careful considerations to these matters.”
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