Obstetrics - Left party criticizes closures of maternity wards
In light of the closures of maternity clinics in the country, the health political spokesperson for the Left party, Nicole Anger, is concerned about the care of patients. If certain regions, such as the Börde district, no longer have maternity wards, this would be a disadvantage in terms of family-friendliness, Anger told the German Press Agency. According to a request from the Left party in the state parliament, a total of six obstetrics departments have been closed in the past ten years. Among them were those in Haldensleben, Zerbst, Weissenfels, Schönebeck, Zeitz and Halberstadt.
The Health Ministry, headed by Minister Petra Grimm-Benne (SPD), refers in its response to the fact that the number of births has significantly decreased in recent years. By 2035, a further decrease of up to 19 percent can be calculated. The requirement of hospital planning is around 300 births per year at a location. "In sparsely populated areas, the fulfillment of this relatively low quantity is already only barely feasible," the ministry's response reads.
According to a report on the hospital landscape published last year, a hospital with obstetrics care can be reached in most regions within less than 30 minutes. The closure of departments could, however, lead to travel times of 40 to 60 minutes for patients depending on their location. In northern Saxony-Anhalt, treatment by neighboring clinics in Brandenburg is often resorted to.
Small inquiry on obstetrics care
- The Left party in Saxony-Anhalt raises concerns about the closure of maternity clinics, particularly in municipalities like Haldensleben, Zerbst, Weissenfels, Schönebeck, Zeitz, and Halberstadt, as they perceive the decreasing availability of such services as a hindrance to familial friendliness.
- Nicole Anger, the health political spokesperson for the Left party, expresses her worries to the German Press Agency regarding the care of patients in areas like the Börde district that may no longer have maternity wards due to clinic closures.
- In an analysis of the hospital landscape published last year, it was revealed that, though a hospital with obstetrics care can generally be reached within 30 minutes in most regions of Saxony-Anhalt, the closure of departments could potentially elongate travel times to 40 to 60 minutes for some patients, with treatments in neighboring Brandenburg clinics often being necessary in northern Saxony-Anhalt.
