Poriya Medical Center (Tzafon Medical Center)
A major government hospital located near Tiberias, serving the Galilee, Golan Heights, and Jordan Valley, recently rebranded as Tzafon Medical Center.
Poriya Medical Center, officially known as the Baruch Padeh Medical Center and recently rebranded as Tzafon Medical Center, is a critical healthcare pillar in Israel's northern periphery. Established in 1955 to replace the aging Schweitzer Hospital in Tiberias, it is situated on a ridge overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The center provides comprehensive medical services to a diverse population of approximately 120,000 residents, including Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, and Circassians from the surrounding Galilee and Golan regions.
As a government-run facility under the Ministry of Health, the hospital has undergone significant expansion in recent years to bridge the healthcare gap between Israel's center and its northern frontier. It houses specialized departments in cardiology, maternal health, and emergency medicine, and serves as a teaching hospital affiliated with the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine of Bar-Ilan University in Safed.
Beyond routine care, the center plays a vital role in Israel's national security and regional resilience. During times of conflict, it is a primary destination for casualties from the northern border. It gained international attention for its humanitarian efforts during the Syrian Civil War, providing life-saving treatment to wounded Syrian civilians. Recently, the center has been at the forefront of managing local public health incidents, such as the treatment of multiple victims of wildlife-related injuries in the Kinneret area, demonstrating its role as the immediate responder for the region's unique environmental and social challenges. The ongoing transition to the 'Tzafon Medical Center' identity reflects a broader strategic initiative to position the facility as the premier medical hub for the northern district.