Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov informed Health Minister Haim Katz on Tuesday of his decision to step down in the coming weeks, after serving a total of approximately nine years in two terms as the ministry's director-general.
Bar Siman Tov will work in the coming weeks to ensure an orderly transition and handover to his successor, once a replacement has been selected.
During his terms in office, Bar Siman Tov headed Israel's healthcare system through major national emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the Swords of Iron War.
As part of his responsibilities, he oversaw the healthcare system's preparations for treating casualties and wounded individuals, receiving hostages returning from captivity, and ensuring the continued operation of health services during wartime.
In addition to managing these emergencies, Bar Siman Tov has in recent years advanced the national mental health program, aimed at addressing the consequences of national trauma, as well as initiatives to strengthen healthcare services and medical infrastructure in Israel's peripheral regions.
Following his departure, Bar Siman Tov is expected to join Columbia University in New York as a research fellow in the coming months. There, he will conduct research and write about how healthcare systems cope with national trauma, focusing on the Israeli experience accumulated in recent years.
Health Minister Katz thanked Bar Siman Tov for his years of public service.
"I greatly appreciate Moshe Bar Siman Tov's significant contribution to Israel's healthcare system throughout his years of public service. Moshe led the ministry professionally during particularly complex and challenging periods, with a deep commitment to public health," Katz said.
Katz also thanked him for their cooperation in advancing initiatives to improve medical services and expand responses to patients' needs, wishing him success in his future endeavors.
Commenting on his decision, Bar Siman Tov said, "I am concluding my tenure knowing that Israel's healthcare system is strong, professional, and prepared for any challenge."
"The true strength of the system lies in its dedicated employees, who work every day with a sense of mission and a deep commitment to saving lives and protecting public health, and who serve as a model of coexistence among all segments of Israeli society," he added.
"The healthcare system is an inseparable part of my professional identity, and I am grateful for the privilege I have been given to serve the public in Israel," Bar Siman Tov concluded.