Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, Inc. (HWZOA) – noting its unique position as both a stakeholder in the State of Israel through support for the Hadassah Medical Organization (HMO) and a Zionist organization with over 300,000 members, Associates, and supporters in the United States – reaffirms and strongly encourages support for bilateral cooperative medical partnership programs between the United States and Israel aimed at developing health technologies, improved methodologies, and enhanced training of medical professionals to achieve better health and wellness for the people of both nations.
HWZOA reaffirms its commitment to the betterment of the world through life-saving medical care and research in service to humanity and celebrates the contributions of the Hadassah Medical Organization, taking special note that HMO assumed a leading role in Israel’s effort to combat the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. HMO developed best practices, low-cost medical devices, and laboratory testing protocols that were freely shared for the benefit of all nations and peoples.
HMO’s relationships with American medical institutions provide researchers and clinicians from both countries with access to valuable training opportunities, data and information sharing, research collaborations, and more. HWZOA also applauds the US commitment to and appropriation of funds for USAID’s Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad (USAID/ASHA), which enables Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem and Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus to procure life-saving American-made medical equipment.
A safe, reliable global supply chain of health technologies, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment is a necessity for both the US and Israeli healthcare systems. The abiding relationship between such allies and strategic partners as the United States and Israel is strengthened through increased collaborative initiatives across many fields, especially in the areas of technology and medicine. In furthering both aspirations, the American and Israeli people will jointly benefit from the innovations made possible by increased collaboration.
Hadassah commends the bipartisan support encouraging US and Israeli officials to explore formal agreements between both nations that may expedite the availability of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, speed review of clinical studies, and provide a legal foundation upon which they can engage in cooperative activities.
HWZOA also encourages the United States armed forces and members of its military academies to participate in exchanges, trainings, and seminars with counterparts at Israeli medical schools and hospitals, including HMO, and medical units of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
Hadassah urges all members, Associates, and supporters to educate policymakers about how HMO transforms lives in Israel and around world, and to advocate for legislation that facilitates and promotes medical partnerships between the US and Israel.