Health Ministry Revokes Ambulance Firm's License Over Safety Violations
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Israel's Ministry of Health has revoked the license of "Hana Ambulance," a private emergency medical service company, due to serious safety violations. The company operated ambulances illegally, misrepresented them as intensive care units, and used unqualified staff. The ministry issued an urgent public warning, advising citizens to verify the credentials of private ambulance services. This action follows a court's rejection of the company's appeal and comes amid other recent public health warnings from the ministry.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- The Ministry of Health has revoked the license of "Hana Ambulance" due to serious safety violations.
- The company allegedly operated ambulances illegally and misrepresented them as intensive care units.
- An urgent public warning has been issued, urging citizens to verify private ambulance service credentials.
- The company's appeal against the license revocation was rejected by the court.
- The ministry cited repeated complaints and dangerous practices uncovered during investigations.
Israel's Ministry of Health issued an urgent warning on Monday to the public regarding "Hana Ambulance," a private emergency medical services company that operated out of the Shfaram area since 2018. The ministry announced that the company has lost its license and is no longer permitted to operate any ambulance services. This drastic decision follows a lengthy legal battle where the company's appeal against the ministry's order to cease operations was definitively rejected by the court.
The revocation stems from a three-year period of monitoring and complaints that revealed dangerous practices. Investigations by the ministry uncovered repeated instances of the company operating ambulances illegally and without adhering to strict health ministry regulations. Most critically, the company allegedly attempted to upgrade its services by presenting regular ambulances as intensive care units (ICUs), staffed by unqualified personnel and lacking essential life-saving equipment for complex emergencies.
This unauthorized operation put patients, who relied on the company during critical moments, at serious risk. In light of these findings and the court's ruling, the Ministry of Health is urging the public to exercise extreme caution. Citizens are advised to verify that any private ambulance service they engage is licensed, professional, and operates under proper supervision and regulations. Failure to do so could compromise the quality of care and potentially cost lives.
The Ministry of Health also reminded the public to contact "Kol HaBriut" at *5400 for inquiries about private emergency medical service providers. This warning follows recent public safety alerts from the ministry, including one issued Sunday about a rabid fox discovered in Kiryat Shmona, prompting calls for anyone who may have come into contact with the animal or other stray animals in the area between September 21 and October 5, 2026, to urgently contact their local health office for potential preventative treatment.
