Dillenburg (dpa/lhe) - The closure of the maternity ward in Dillenburg in central Hesse, which has been threatening for months and has now been announced, has met with clear criticism. There are serious doubts that "everything was actually done to save the maternity clinic," said the health policy spokeswoman for the left-wing parliamentary group in the state parliament, Petra Heimer, according to a statement on Tuesday. On the part of the country there was also "no recognizable initiative" to support the station, she explained.
In the past few months, the Dill clinics had tried to find three senior physicians for obstetrics at the Dillenburg site so that the department did not have to be closed. Despite all efforts, this was unsuccessful, it said in a statement from the weekend, which was reported by several media. Therefore, the station cannot continue to operate after December 31, 2022. The plan is to continue to offer at least gynecological care. This is being coordinated with the Hessian Ministry of Social Affairs.
In Hesse, the lights have gone out in 13 obstetrics wards in clinics over the past ten years due to a lack of staff or cost reasons. Hessians can currently give birth to their children in around 40 hospitals, as the Ministry of Social Affairs announced at the beginning of November. From the point of view of the state, according to the ministry at the time, the care of pregnant women in Hesse was secured.
