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Maternity ward in Würzburg: District council fights for financial rescue!
Würzburg's maternity ward is fighting financial bottlenecks and is asking for support. Over 2,000 births are at risk every year.
Maternity ward in Würzburg: District council fights for financial rescue!
There is currently a lot to discuss in Würzburg, especially when it comes to the maternity ward at the Würzburg Mitte Clinic (KWM). The station is not only the largest of its kind in the region, but also a central location for expectant parents. Every year over 2,000 children are born there. But the financial conditions are anything but rosy. Last year the ward suffered a loss of around 2.4 million euros, which seriously endangers the future of obstetric care. This prompted the KWM management to ask for support from the Würzburg district council in order to save this situation. According to radiogong.com, annual support of 720,000 euros is targeted until 2027.
The maternity ward at the KWM is essential for many women, as there are no other maternity wards in the surrounding districts of Würzburg and Main-Spessart. With the closure of obstetric services, pregnant women would be faced with the challenge of having to travel long distances to receive care. The Würzburg district council has basically signaled that it is ready to help, but a joint solution with the city of Würzburg and the Main-Spessart district is required. This willingness to cooperate is essential because the city of Würzburg sees responsibility for financing as a responsibility of the federal and state governments.
A critical situation
The situation at the Würzburg Mitte Clinic is not just a local challenge. More and more obstetric units in Germany are struggling with similar problems. This is shown by a report from [Ärzteblatt](https://www.aerzteblatt.de/archiv/ bearingshilfe-zu-wenig-geld-zu-wenig-aerzte-61402694-d55d-4ee0-9795-507b4a4249c9), which outlines how ongoing closures of maternity clinics in rural regions lead to undersupply. The shortage of skilled workers is another critical factor: a large number of maternity clinics have to close due to a lack of gynecologists. Although the government is planning measures to provide financial support and combat the shortage of skilled workers, there is not enough time and many clinics are on the brink.
The statistics are particularly frightening: In Germany there were over 1,186 obstetric departments in 1991; today there are only around 600. These declines not only affect metropolises, but also rural regions, where travel times to the nearest clinics can often be too long.
The way forward
It is all the more important that the KWM and the responsible authorities find a common solution. The management of KWM is already planning discussions with the Main-Spessart district in order to develop a viable solution. The perspective of the city of Würzburg, which sees the federal government and the Free State as responsible for the costs, must also be taken into account in the discussions.
Closing the maternity ward at KWM would be catastrophic for the region and, according to several experts, is unlikely since cities and districts are legally obliged to provide medical care. But until a solution is found, it remains exciting to see whether everyone involved is prepared to take responsibility and turn things around.