Medical Facilities Experience Overcrowding as Demand for Services Increases - University hospital building plans defended by Finance Minister Richter
Saxony-Anhalt's Finance Minister, Michael Richter, stands behind the planned new building at the University Hospital Magdeburg. "It's inevitable; we can't keep things going with smaller efforts anymore; it's not feasible," Richter explained to the German Press Agency as a CDU member. "The claim that this came out of the blue is false." The construction plans had been included in the coalition agreement, he added.
Over the past few days, critiques of the project have emerged from the CDU and FDP government factions. The Liberals demanded of the state government, "Please revoke the investment plans and address unresolved structural matters." They push for greater transparency on what specific hospital structures the government has planned for the entire country in order to maintain healthcare in the region.
"I was part of the FDP faction and we reported on this matter," Richter shared. "If there are additional queries, we can clear them up before the Finance Committee meeting on June 20."
In April, the state government opted to construct a new central building at the University Hospital Magdeburg. The building's cost is projected to be around one billion euros. Currently, there are numerous buildings on the campus. For internal transport of patients, over 20 million euros in expenses are incurred each year. With the new central clinic, these costs are expected to disappear and major departments are anticipated to be merged.
"We suffer losses from these clinics too. You just need to consider the costs of the scattered structure over a 10-year span - they will later be minimized with the new construction," Richter defended the proposed expenses. "This is a project that will benefit us for many years. A billion euros might sound like a lot, but if we look at it as an annual expense, it's perfectly manageable." Furthermore, the University Clinics are public law institutions; as a state, we have a responsibility for their financial stability, explained Richter. "We, as a state, either have to invest in them or we need to shut them down; there's no middle ground."
