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Demonstration against the shutting down of a hospital in Wilhelmsburg

Demonstration against the shutdown of the hospital in Wilhelmsburg

Demonstration against the proposed shutdown of the hospital in Wilhelmsburg
Demonstration against the proposed shutdown of the hospital in Wilhelmsburg

Demonstration advocateing to prevent hospital shutdown in Wilhelmsburg - Demonstration against the shutting down of a hospital in Wilhelmsburg

In the heart of Hamburg, a significant medical crisis is looming. The emergency room and surgical department of the Catholic hospital Groß-Sand in Wilhelmsburg are set to close mid-July, leaving the neighborhood's population of around 60,000 with only one hospital for emergency care [1][2][3]. This decision, initiated by the Erzbistum Hamburg, has sparked widespread criticism due to the potential impact on the area's medical care.

The nearby hospitals, the Marienkrankenhaus (approximately 5 km away) and the AK Harburg (approximately 7 km away), are already operating at capacity. The sudden closure of Groß-Sand threatens the immediate care of thousands, especially in a rapidly growing district that is expected to reach nearly 80,000 residents soon. The area is also characterized by harbor activities and potential risks associated with them [1][3].

**Immediate Measures and Alternatives Sought:**

- **City Takeover and Operations Continuation:** The city of Hamburg plans to purchase the hospital from the Catholic Church and transform it into a local clinic under a new management. Critics argue that at least the emergency care should be maintained until a successful reorganization, to prevent dangerous coverage gaps [1][2].

- **Cooperation with UKE:** A long-term solution proposed is a collaboration with the Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) to modernize and future-proof the hospital's location [1].

- **Protest and Political Pressure:** Local initiatives and political groups, such as the Left party, are pressing the city for immediate and reliable solutions to prevent an acute medical shortage. Demonstrations with hundreds of people took place on the day of the closure [2].

- **Interim Solutions:** Before the establishment of the local clinic, it is recommended to maintain emergency care at least partially or to quickly develop alternative emergency departments in the surrounding area to secure immediate care.

**Conclusion:** The closure of the emergency department in Wilhelmsburg poses a serious challenge to the basic and emergency medical care. Immediate action from the city of Hamburg is necessary to ensure continuous emergency care. Transitional management with city ownership and collaborations, as well as the expedited development of alternative care structures, are among the proposed solutions [1][2][3].

The Left party has urged the Senate for a "reliable solution" regarding the hospital's closure. The hospital in question provides care for work and traffic accidents, heart pain, infections, and other emergencies. The party in the city parliament has expressed concern about a "massive gap in care" due to the hospital's closure. Kay Jäger, the Left party's harbor expert, has highlighted that the hospital's closure will affect the harbor, with its tens of thousands of employees.

  1. In light of the impending hospital closure, the Left party in Hamburg's city parliament has called for a "reliable solution" that addresses the gap in health-and-wellness services, particularly vocational training for those working in the harbor sector, as the hospital often treated work and traffic accidents, thus contributing to the community's overall health and wellness.
  2. As a long-term strategy, the collaboration proposed with the Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) not only aims to modernize and future-proof the hospital's location but also to enhance vocational training opportunities in medical-conditions management and science, ensuring a skilled workforce to cater to the area's growing population and potential medical-conditions.

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