Dillenburg (dpa/lhe) – The futile search for doctors could lead to the closure of another maternity ward in Hesse. For several weeks, the Dill clinics have been trying to find three senior physicians for obstetrics at the Dillenburg site so that the department can continue to operate. “We are exhausting all possibilities to fill the advertised positions,” said a clinic spokeswoman. Unfortunately, none of the measures taken so far have been very promising. “This development is in line with a nationwide trend. In recent years, obstetric clinics across Germany have had to close because there is a lack of young doctors.”
In Hesse, in the past, the lights went out permanently in several delivery rooms for economic or personnel reasons. For example, birth stations in Alsfeld, Volkmarsen or Marburg-Wehrda were closed. According to the clinic spokeswoman, it is still unclear whether and when it could happen in Dillenburg. Alternatives to the impending end are being examined.
The opposition in the state parliament sees a need for immediate action and, in addition to the maternity ward in Dillenburg, that in Fritzlar in northern Hesse is also in danger. “Since 2008, a third of the maternity clinics have already been closed, and the dying of the local maternity care is obviously going into the next round,” said Christiane Böhm, the health policy spokeswoman for the left parliamentary group. The state must ensure “that the local care of pregnant women is guaranteed”.
