Wave of protests in Wittstock: Citizens defend themselves against clinic closure!

Wave of protests in Wittstock: Citizens defend themselves against clinic closure!

Resistance to the planned closure of the KMG Clinic in Wittstock is visibly growing. The next protest will take place on Tuesday, August 19th at 5 p.m. The meeting point is the parking lot in front of the Haase nursery, Meyenburger Chaussee 25. The protest march leads through the Gröpertor, into Kettenstrasse and ends on the market square. This initiative is organized by the new action group “Wittstock shows face”, which was founded at the beginning of August. Their goal is clear: to coordinate the protest against the clinic closure and to draw attention to the fate of the important healthcare location.

The KMG announced on July 22 that it would close the clinic in Wittstock from 2027 because it would then no longer be able to meet the legal requirements. This is in connection with the comprehensive hospital reform that was passed by the Bundestag. Specialist departments such as cardiology and gastroenterology are to be relocated to Pritzwalk, which means a massive loss for many citizens in the region. However, as the mayor of Pritzwalk, Ronald Thiel, explained, they also see opportunities in structural change for the region.

Call for alternatives

There is great discontent in Wittstock itself. Mayor Philipp Wacker (CDU) is calling on the federal and state governments of Brandenburg to prevent the clinic from closing. He has made suggestions to adapt the hospital reform or to treat it as an individual decision by the state government. A petition was also started to encourage the Brandenburg state parliament to address the issue again. Wacker also invited State Health Minister Britta Müller (SPD) to inspect the situation on site.

A citizens' forum, attended by around 1,000 residents as well as representatives of parties and institutions, highlighted the concerns among the population. “We want to preserve the entire clinic site because it is indispensable for the region,” emphasized a resident. These concerns are not unfounded, as the reform, which is considered the largest healthcare reform in 20 years, is intended to result in greater medical specialization in clinics. Smaller facilities like the one in Wittstock could have to offer fewer services under the new system in the future, which means longer distances to specialized clinics.

The reform at a glance

According to the information from daily news The reform is also seen as a reaction to the unsustainable financial situation of many clinics. Around 30% of clinics are in the red, which could lead to closures. The aim is to improve the quality of medical care, but in practice this means that there will be fewer clinics. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach recently said that a 20% reduction in hospitals would be acceptable as long as care improved.

As part of this reform, a transformation fund worth 50 billion euros was created over a period of ten years to finance the changes and ensure that clinics in rural regions are not completely left behind. Nevertheless, there remains great skepticism as to whether this project can actually avert the impending death of hospitals.

The citizens of Wittstock are therefore called upon to continue to campaign for the preservation of their clinic. Because the coming protests and the ongoing resistance will be decisive in determining whether the city's health status remains or not. Further actions are already being planned to maintain pressure on decision-makers.