Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Monday announced he has ordered the privatization process of "Tipat Halav" well-baby clinics be put on hold.

"In recognition of this highly experienced public service's contribution, an inter-ministerial team is working to redefine Tipat Halav's responsibilities," Olmert said in a statement issued in honor of the sixth convention of the National Council for the Child in Be'er Sheva.

The team, formed by Olmert and headed by the general director of his office, Ra'anan Dinur, is looking into the option of integrating the well-baby clinics into early childcare centers that will be established throughout the country, as part of a wide-reaching program to support at-risk children and prevent their problems at an early age.

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The government has on several occasions decided to transfer well-baby clinic services to the health maintenance organizations, but its efforts were torpedoed by the Knesset. Last year, the treasury decided to bypass the Knesset and conduct trial efforts to provide well-baby clinic services through city halls in several cities, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Two petitions have been submitted to the High court of Justice against the treasury's decision, and they are awaiting rulings.

National Council for the Child director Dr. Yitzhak Kadman, who has been working to cancel the privatization, said Olmert's statement is "wonderful news for children, for public health and for preventive medicine."

MK Shelly Yachimovich (Labor), chair of the Knesset Committee on Rights of the Child, said Olmert's decision is right and appropriate. She said that the next course of action should be rebuilding what has been destroyed in the past four years.

Those who object to handing well-baby clinics to HMOs say the move would severely hurt preventative medicine, because children and pregnant mothers coming in for vaccinations would be exposed to sick people coming in for treatment. An additional argument against the move is that money transferred to HMOs by the government for well-baby clinic services would be used towards other means.