Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Dispute about "extreme premature care"

Despite long protests, the supply of particularly small premature babies in Neubrandenburg is to be phased out. That goes too far for many in rural areas. Since a transitional rule was also rejected, 50,000 signatures and a Bundestag petition should help.

Neubrandenburg (dpa/mv) – After months of protests against the closure of “extreme preterm care”, employees of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Clinic in Neubrandenburg have started collecting signatures for their Bundestag petition. As a spokeswoman said on Monday, the collection is already online and is to be launched publicly with a vigil at City Hall on Tuesday. One hopes for at least 50,000 signatures by the end of December.

The petition is intended to ensure that the treatment of very small premature babies with a birth weight of less than 1250 grams in Neubrandenburg – contrary to previous instructions from the health insurance companies – can also be maintained in 2023. In addition, the number of cases per clinic should be overturned as the sole criterion, as State Minister of Social Affairs Stefanie Drese (SPD) recently emphasized at a citizens’ forum. The country had spoken out in favor of a one-year exemption, but was unable to enforce it.

The state associations of health insurance companies and substitute health insurance funds in MV had forbidden the clinic from taking care of “extremely premature babies” in 2023. Most recently, seven such cases were treated in Neubrandenburg – according to health insurance companies, there should be at least 20 cases per year. According to the state associations, “99 percent of Neubrandenburg women” could still have their child in the Neubrandenburg clinic and 90 percent of premature births could continue to take place there. The provision flat rates for paediatrics and obstetrics planned by the Federal Ministry of Health, which are intended to quickly relieve the financial burden on children’s hospitals, would benefit the clinic.

The MV state health minister had announced an open discussion with all those involved. The fight to keep the Level 1 perinatal center is also a fight for medical care in rural areas, said Mayor Silvio Witt (independent). Clinics in Berlin, Greifswald or Rostock as alternatives are not reasonable because of the enormously long distances.