OAK LAWN, Ill. — Advocate Health Care workers gathered in Oak Lawn to voice concerns about the way the health system is handling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and its employees who are impacted.
On Friday evening, doctors and nurses stepped away from patient care to take a public stand.
“We feel like we have no choice because of the harassment Advocate Health Care workers have experienced regarding Gaza,” Dr. Yasser, who works for Advocate Christ and Advocate Lutheran General Hospitals, said.
Workers at Advocate Christ Hospital serve Chicago’s Little Palestine community. Dr. Thaer Ahamd is a Palestinian-American himself and treated children at a hospital in Gaza earlier this year.
“That hospital was ultimately surrounded by tanks, was raided, was destroyed and many of the health care workers I was working with were arrested, detained, abducted,” Dr. Ahamd said.
Ahamd said their efforts to build community and try to heal together at work have been stopped.
“We’ve had doors closed in our faces,” Ahamd said. “Advocate administrators have canceled vigils for Gaza repeatedly.”
“Advocate Health Care stands with all those impacted by the war in Gaza and Israel, including our patients, teammates and communities. As caregivers and healers, this violence weighs heavily on us all and we will continue to foster an environment that allows our teammates and patients to feel safe, affirmed, respected and heard. We are committed to a culture of inclusion and are holding a learning event about responding to world crises, we’ve provided education resources on how best to provide safe spaces at work and support teammates, and have hosted meaningful vigils. We respect our teammates’ right to share their personal opinions, and will continue to be a place where all can share their perspectives, learn from each other and express grief over this ongoing tragedy,” a spokesperson for Advocate Health Care said in a statement.
Some doctors say the health care system threw its humanitarian support behind Ukraine but isn’t doing the same for Gaza. They are now asking Advocate to take a similar, apolitical stance again.
“And who Advocate Health chooses to speak up for tells us whose lives it prioritizes and values,” Dr. Tammy Abughnaim, from Advocate Trinity Hospital, said.