Israeli Health Ministry Reports Over 1,300 Deaths Prevented by Hospital Infection Control in 2025

The Israeli Ministry of Health revealed that in 2025, approximately 4,668 hospital-acquired infections were prevented, along with more than 1,300 potential deaths. These results stem from a national infection prevention program that has been active for over a decade, involving continuous monitoring, nationwide oversight, medical staff training, targeted interventions in high-risk departments, and incentives for hospitals to improve.

A key achievement highlighted is a 52% reduction in bloodstream infections in intensive care units since 2012, dropping from 5.3 to 2.6 cases per 1,000 ICU days. In 2025 alone, over 1,150 such infections were avoided. The Ministry also tightened national targets for infections related to central venous catheters, lowering the acceptable rate from 1.9 to 1.3 cases per 1,000 catheter days. However, no improvement was noted recently in neonatal intensive care units and pediatric neurosurgery, which remain priority areas for intervention.

Urinary tract infections also saw significant declines, with reductions between 44% and 60% in internal medicine and surgical wards since 2016, and 18% to 33% in acute geriatric departments. The Ministry estimates that about 1,700 infections were prevented annually in monitored wards. Alongside infection data, the Ministry published the 2025 national antibiogram, showing Israel's antibiotic resistance levels are comparable or better than many European countries.

Despite these successes, hospital-acquired infections still affect about 5% of hospitalized patients in Israel and cause thousands of deaths each year. Most infections are linked to medical treatment complications but can be reduced through hand hygiene, prudent antibiotic use, ongoing surveillance, and strict infection prevention protocols. The Ministry plans to expand incentive programs and targeted interventions in hospitals and long-term care facilities in 2026 to further reduce infection rates and enhance patient safety.